The Legendary
by obiiwankilany2.0
Summary: A flash of lights is all it takes to change a person's life, from one end of the spectrum a group of boys are ripped away from their time, while on the other a girl is dragged out of the forgotten.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. **

**Summary:** A flash of bright lights is all that it takes for lives to crash into one another. On one end of the spectrum a flash of lights forces a group of boys from the time that they know; on the other, a flash of light drags a girl from the depths of a forgotten legend and into the depths of reality. Together the two ends collide with the Era of the Golden Trio.

**Rating: T (this may or may not change)**

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><p><span>Prologue<span>

(1940's)

A pair of green eyes stared frightened and hollow as five lights sped towards her all at once. But seconds before the lights would have hit her they clashed. Sparks flew as the different colored lights collided creating a brilliant light speckled with the colors of the rainbow. The green eyes slammed shut from the intensity of the light.

With a sharp crack, the light vanished. The eyes opened. Murmuring started up as confusion spread throughout the remaining observers. The victim lying crumpled upon the ground remained silent.

The five spell casters were gone.

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><p><strong>(The 1990's – Golden trio time period)<strong>

"What happened?"

"Two muggles killed by an Unforgiveable."

"Two _muggles_ were killed by an Unforgivable Curse?"

"Yes sir."

The two men dressed in black robes stood to the side of the chaos ensuing from the coroners as they moved about. The shorter of the two men with scraggly white hair and a beard was Chief Inspector Collins. The taller man with short brown hair was Sergeant Capon. Collins glanced at the sergeant.

"Then why are we investigating this instead of leaving it to a bunch of muggles?"

"The muggles had a kid."

Collins groaned. "Muggleborn I presume."

"Yes sir."

Collins sighed before moving towards the motionless bodies. By chance he glanced towards an open door way and froze.

"Is that a third body Sergeant?"

"Yes, a...Septimus McGeever," Capon began. "Records show that he has been arrested five times and has been proclaimed legally insane."

"Septimus McGeever, the delusional man who believed he could become a dark lord by locating a fictional, or rather, legendary wizarding family?" Collins asked.

"They vary one sir."

"Why though, would McGeever be here and how did he die?" Collins pondered as he and Capan resumed.

"The coroners say that it appears McGeever went the same way the two muggles here did." Sergeant Capan stated as the two came to a halt in front of the couple.

Collins's eyebrows merely crinkled in confusion.

"If I may sir, that wasn't the strangest coincidence." Capan stated looking at his boss.

Collins gave no response. Capon took the motion as a go ahead.

"Our men found two wands, that were not McGeever's, in the proximity of the muggles."

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Please review. Chapter 1 should be coming up soon. <strong>


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**Rating: M (to be safe)**

**Author's Note: I would like to thank those who have read "The Legendary" Prologue and Torn Apart Paper Dinosaur for reviewing. Here is chapter 1.**

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

A train whistle sounded signaling the departure of a train. The station was bustling with people going every which way as they tried to catch their train.

Elaina Proe just stood there staring at the numbers 9 and 10. Two conductors had already asked her if she needed help but she had just shrugged them off. Now, they just watched her warily as though she was going to pull off some stunt.

In front of Elaina sat a cart carrying her trunk, a bag and a pet carrier. The pet carrier contained Nightshade, a black cat Elaina had purchased in Diagon Alley. Thankfully the cat was being quiet, or else Elaina may have had to deal with further attention than what she was already gaining.

Elaina reached into her pocket and pulled out her train ticket.

"Platform 9 ¾, Hogwarts Express." Elaina read out loud before looking back up at the plastic numbers. "What Platform nine and three quarters? There is no such platform."

Sighing Elaina stuffed the ticket back into the pockets of her jeans and tore her gaze from the numbers. Her eyes stopped. There in the middle of platforms nine and ten stood a large group of kids, about Elaina's age, and two adults both with abnormally light blonde hair, almost white. Two of the kids had the same color hair as the adults but the rest had dark hair. The kids each head a cart themselves packed with about the same cargo as Elaina's. Elaina decided that they were more than likely a safe bet and so she quickly jogged over with her cart.

As soon as she was about six feet away, each of the strangers noticed her and each sent a mistrusting glare her way. Elaina felt her right eye twitch. The phenomenon was as if the strangers had already passed down a judgment from over their upward turned noses. Elaina forced herself not to make an unpleasant comment about their attitudes.

"Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to know hot to get to Platform nine and three quarters would you?" Elaina asked. Mentally Elaina applauded herself for keeping a smile plastered upon her face even though the disdain the people felt towards her was pretty obvious. Well, most of the people anyway, two of the dark haired boys seemed to hold more of an indifferent sort of attitude.

Elaina observed the group. The blonde with the shorter hair had disappeared. The two adults seemed to be examining Elaina's form as though they were pondering whether or not the dirt in front of them was dirty, the remaining blonde kid had sneer on his face, and the dark haired boy and girl were openly glaring at Elaina. Only the two remaining boys even bothered to mask any disdain they may have felt towards her presence.

"I believe that in order for a witch or wizard to enter the platform is to pass through the barrier in between Platforms nine and ten." The sound of one of the boy's voice snapped Elaina out of her musings.

Elaina looked at the dark haired boy who had spoken up. He had a smile upon his round face, but there was something off about him. Elaina could not quite place what was wrong with him, but instead of pondering over it she widened her smile and responded with a sincere thank you.

Elaina immediately turned herself and her cart around and began walking towards the barrier. As she came closer and closer to the brick wall, Elaina began to pick up speed until she was nearly to a run. Unable to contain the butterflies in her stomach, Elaina shut her eyes just as she was about to hit the barrier.

"OW!" A boy cried out.

Elaina's eyes shot open to see that instead of hitting a wall she had hit the missing blonde kid from King's Cross.

His eyes were set in a harsh glare directed completely at Elaina. Elaina looked down to find that she had managed to land her cart on top of the stranger's foot.

"M-my apologies," Elaina stammered as she backed her cart off of the boy's foot. She looked back at the boy's face to find that it seemed remarkably controlled compared to what it had been. Instead of a glare on his face there was a sneer written in the tightness of his lips. Elaina decided then and there that it would probably be best if she didn't stick around. When she tried leaving, however, the boy spoke up halting her in her tracks.

"I suppose it is just like a _Weasley_ to be in such a rush that they don't even watch where they are going," the boy sneered.

Elaina glanced back making sure her face spoke of confusion.

"Who, or what, is a Weasley?" Elaina asked.

The boy seemed to straighten up in confusion at Elaina's response. Moments later the other blonde boy and the rest of the group was by his side cutting him off from making any further comment.

Elaina resumed her walk to the train but stopped for a moment when she managed to spot a man with freckles and red hair seemingly staring at the group that Elaina had left behind. He seemed to be glaring at them, but Elaina did not wish to ponder on it.

Elaina tore her gaze from the man and made her way to the train. When Elaina finally managed to push through the crowd of people she found herself towards the back of the train and based off of the numerous hands sticking out the windows and doors up ahead, it was not a bad spot to be in. As quick as she could, Elaina heaved her stuff onto the train and went to find an open compartment. Unfortunately, most of the compartments were already taken, however the further back she traveled down the train the emptier the compartments became. At one point she passed a compartment in which some dark haired kid was pulling back his hair to show some redheaded kid his forehead. Elaina didn't stop to ask about it even though she was rather curious.

Almost immediately after Elaina had passed the dark haired boy's compartment she was flagged down by a girl with insanely bushy hair who was leading a chubby boy around with her.

"You wouldn't have happened to see a toad anywhere have you?" the girl asked. "Neville here seems to have lost his."

Elaina glanced at the boy. He appeared to be fidgeting quite a bit. Elaina wondered if he had even asked the girl to help him or if the girl had overheard his plight and deemed it her responsibility to help him.

"It is alright if you haven't, but if you have seen anything of the toad any information would be greatly appreciated."

Elaina looked back at the girl and smiled sheepishly.

"I am afraid I have not seen a toad any where, sorry," Elaina stated. The bushy haired witch seemed to deflate but it only took a second for her attitude to rebound.

"Well, thank you and my name is Hermione Granger incase you do catch sight of Neville's toad," the girl said happily as she turned to move away not giving Elaina a chance to introduce herself.

Elaina watched as the Hermione Granger flew into the compartment that held the dark haired boy and the redhead with freckles.

"_The poor saps,"_ was all that Elaina could think as she turned back around and headed into the last compartment to the left.

Upon entering the small, and blissfully empty, area, Elaina went straight for the seat next to the window that was facing the front of the train. As soon as her rear end hit the seat, Elaina let out a sigh and stared out the window at the parents and other relatives waving good bye to their children. Elaina began to think of her own parents and how it would feel if they were there waving her off with smiles on their faces, even as tears gently rolled down their cheeks. Elaina's heart sunk and she tried to shake her thoughts out of her head.

"Come on Elaina…you should know better…if they were alive you wouldn't be here," Elaina muttered this to herself as she wiped the bit of tears that had begun to leak from her eyes.

"If who were alive?" A voice asked.

Elaina jumped as her head swiveled around to face the door to her compartment. There in the open doorway, was a girl with long honey blonde hair and light brown eye who was already in her school robes. Elaina, without putting any thought to it, immediately gave out a pain filled answer to the girl's question.

"My parents."

The girl seemed to soften at the two words spoken by Elaina.

"I am sorry for your loss," the girl said. She paused as though considering whether or not to leave for another compartment. But right at that moment the train gave a sudden lurch and it was off. The girl moved to the seat directly across from Elaina, sat down and looked straight at the redhead.

"I am Priscilla Dorrier," the girl seemed to melt into this warm person who just loved talking to people as she began speaking. "This will be my first year at Hogwarts."

Elaina smiled back thinking that maybe, maybe she had already found a potential friend.

"I am Elaina Proe a—"

"Proe?" A voice with a drawl asked. "Figures you'd be a filthy little mud blood."

Elaina's shot to the doorway to hers and Priscilla's compartment. There stood the five boys from the train station. The boy with the short blonde hair who Elaina had run into was the one who had spoken. Elaina did not respond instead just watched as the other four boys' gazes zeroed in on her. She did not like how this encounter was going.

"Did you say Proe?" The longer haired blonde spoke up. The shorter one looked right back and was quick to respond.

"Yes, I did Draco."

The boy, Draco, seemed to get a cruel glint in his eye as a smirk formed on his pointy face. Elaina could feel her face muscles tightening at his expression. She had a feeling that he thought he knew something about her. What that was though was a complete mystery to her.

"My father said, it must have been last year… yes it was for my mother had just gotten me a new broom that was a…"

"Just get on with it Malfoy!" One of the dark haired boys snapped.

"Well, my father said that last year a squib by the name of Dorea Dollay adopted a ten year old orphan from America." Draco stated looking rather pleased. Elaina couldn't help but notice that his friends seemed to be as impressed with him as she was which was not that much. She could not see why he deemed this important information.

"I fail to see why we need to know this Malfoy." This time it was the dark haired boy who had curly hair who spoke.

"The orphan's name was Proe for your information Blake." Draco snapped. "Now if you would excuse me I think I better go find Crabbe and Goyle before they eat us all out of food for this trip."

With that said Draco Malfoy swept out of the compartment and out of Elaina Proe's mind.

The four remaining boys watched him leave before turning back to Elaina and Priscilla. Then without saying a word they all entered the compartment and filled the remaining seats.

The boy who had been kind enough to explain how to get on to Platform nine and three quarters sat down next to Elaina while the boy with curly black hair, Blake, sat next to Priscilla.

Elaina glanced at Priscilla. The blonde witch didn't seem to really want the boys to be there either but she seemed to be masking it pretty well.

"I am Tom Marvol."

Elaina's attention switched immediately to the boy right next to her. He was smiling but his eyes, his dark eyes, did not show any happiness or sincerity. Elaina concluded that there was definitely something wrong with this, Tom Marvol. She nodded anyway. The curly haired boy next to Priscilla was the one to catch her attention next.

"I am Alphard Blake."

Elaina nodded to him and then to the other two as soon as they introduced themselves.

The blonde with the shorter hair then Draco Malfoy was Abraxas Malley and the final dark haired boy was Nikolai Strange. Neither of them appeared to be the most approachable.

Finally Priscilla introduced herself, the group of boys smiled and silence fell. No one said another word for the remainder of the journey.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: There is Chapter 1. Hope you enjoyed it. Chapter two will be coming up as soon as I can figure something out. But in the meantime, please review feedback will be welcomed.<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter**

**AN: Sorry for taking so long to update. Homework is pretty heavy. Before I forget I should warn you that since I am planning for the majority of the important stuff to happen in years 3-7 or 4-7 so I shall be trying to summarize years 1, 2 and possibly 3.**

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

The moment Elaina and the other first years stepped off of the train they were greeted by a giant man whose black hair and beard were even bushier than Hermione Granger's hair.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" He bellowed. He said something else and then turned, presumably to lead the first years. But when he looked towards where Elaina stood he froze and what little of his face that was visible paled.

Elaina's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she turned to look behind her. There, standing on the last step off the train were Tom Marvol, Nikolai Strange and Abraxas Malley. Marvol's expression seemed to be rather hardened as he seemed to stare back at the black haired giant. Elaina felt this was rather odd but she could not truly explain why the group of boys was seemingly against the idea of the giant man. Further more she could not understand why the bushy haired man seemed to recognize the group of boys.

Suddenly Marvol's eyes snapped downward and met Elaina's head on. Elaina snapped out of her reverie as his eyes narrowed. Ice seemed to grip her heart as Elaina felt the force of Marvol's glare. Quickly she turned and ran after the giant.

Once she was far enough away, Elaina glanced back towards the train but the four boys were already gone. She began to ponder over the strangeness over the boys but she soon shook her head of such thoughts and hurried to find Priscilla. It wasn't until the first years had reached the edge of a lake that Elaina finally found Priscilla.

"Hey Priscilla," Elaina started. She paused before continuing. "You remember Marvol and those other kids who sat in the compartment with us right?"

Priscilla only glanced at Elaina as they climbed into a boat. Elaina took it as a go ahead.

"Was…um…" Elaina paused to think about what she was going to say. "Did they seem odd to you?"

"Of course not," Priscilla answered leaning her head against her hand. "Why do you ask?"

"No—"

"Why do you ask what?"

Elaina and Priscilla both jumped nearly causing the boat to nearly tip them over board.

Elaina eased her grip on the boat and glared at the two boys starting to climb into the boat.

"None of your business Blake," Elaina snapped. "And anyway who said you could enter this vessel?"

"Calm down Proe, jeez," Blake responded throwing his hands up in defense. "This is the only boat left, and besides it is four to a boat."

"Besides, it shouldn't take long." Marvol piped up before going back to staring up at the castle.

Elaina sighed before turning to do the same as Marvol. With a jerk the boats were off floating across the lake at an unimaginable speed for a number of wooden row boats. No one said a word as the boats carted them off to the distant shore where, when they reached it, was soon filled with a large number of first years.

Elaina looked up at the castle taking in the awe inspiring structure and sheer magnitude of the castle.

_'How am I ever supposed to find my way anywhere?'_ Elaina thought as she followed the other first years and the giant to a pair of grand doors that were pushed open with seemingly no effort by the giant. Once the doors were open a stern looking lady with her hair pulled back into a tight bun and a pair of glasses perched upon her pointed nose was revealed.

"Thank you Hagrid. First years follow me."

Immediately first years began walk after the older lady. Eventually they passed a set of twin doors emanating loud noise. Loud noise that could only mean one thing that the other students were already there. At first Elaina believed they had reached their destination but then the lady continued walking until they were all crammed into a smallish sort of room. They were then instructed to tidy themselves up while they waited. With that she was gone.

Instantly that long haired blonde kid from the train, Draco pushed himself to the front where he turned to face the dark haired boy from the train.

"Harry Potter." Draco announced sticking out his hand. "I am Draco Malfoy…"

And the two were off. At one point the redhead boy who was with the Harry Potter spoke up but other than that he did not do much other than get mad. Elaina turned her attention elsewhere and observed the other first years. Hermione Granger's mouth was running a mile a minute, that boy…Neville, she believed, seemed to be looking for something.

"Did Malfoy just say Potter?"

Elaina snapped her gaze to Priscilla.

"I believe so," Elaina responded. "Why?"

"Surprise I suppose." Priscilla trailed off as she stared at the boy Potter.

Elaina decided to change tactics. "So, who **is** Harry Potter?"

"Do you know who You-Know-Who is, or rather, was?"

Elaina paused, before finally shaking her head as she answered no.

"You-Know-Who was a dark wizard, he terrorized Britain for years," Priscilla answered. "He was rather famous; I am surprised that you haven't heard of him."

Elaina just stared at her until realization seemed to dawn on her.

"Of course, you are a mud-muggleborn…" Priscilla seemed to lose herself in thought once again as she tapped her chin with her finger. Seconds later she shook her head before continuing on. "Anyway, long story short, You-Know-Who tried killing Harry Potter when Potter was just a baby, but something happened and You-Know-Who was the one to die."

Elaina's eyes widened at this tidbit of information. She considered asking why such a powerful dark wizard would fall by the hands of a baby, but she had a feeling that no one truly knew.

"Odd." Elaina stated.

Priscilla opened her mouth to respond but just before any sound came the professor re-entered the small room and ushered the first years into two single-file lines as they all moved out of the room. The group of first years were greeted by a large room with five tables four of which were already filled with students, the fifth held the teachers.

Elaina's eyes darted every which way as she tried to take it all in. The hall was magnificent! Suddenly her attention was drawn to the front where the lady was standing beside an old stool with an even older and rattier looking hat sitting upon it.

Elaina stared at the hat. The hat just seemed sort of out of place. Elaina was so focused on the hat that she didn't even hear the lady give the instructions. She was not brought out of her mind until the hat suddenly ripped right above the rim of the hat and started to sing. Elaina stood there shocked as the hat sang about the four houses. At last the song ended and the lady who had led the first years there began reading the names of first years off of her scroll. With each name the respective kid would rush up there and jam the hat on their head and the hat would shout out its verdict.

Four names in, Elaina began looking around at her surroundings. Each table seemed to have its own set of colors. One table appeared to be green and silver, another blue and bronze and another red and gold. Elaina briefly wondered if the colors signified anything. Briefly, Elaina thought that she probably would have the answer to that question had she paid better attention to the hat.

Elaina continued scanning until her eyes came to a halt on Marvol. He was glaring at something. Elaina traced his glare to the teachers' table before glancing back and forth between the teachers and Marvol.

'_Why…'_ Elaina thought.

"POTTER, HARRY!"

The hall quieted down at that allowing for whispering to take over. People were saying things like; "Harry Potter?" and "Did she say Potter?"

Personally Elaina couldn't quite get why people were making such a big deal out of it, but she supposed the boy was sort of a legend and all, having defeated a dark wizard as a baby.

It only took a few minutes for the hat to scream out Gryffindor but the response from Gryffindor's table was phenomenal. Students were jumping out of their chairs in joy and two boys, twins by the looks of it, were shouting, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" over and over. Eventually the table quieted down and the lady's voice rung out above all noise.

"PROE, ELAINA!"

Elaina froze. She could swear that it felt like her heart had stopped. Taking a deep gulp of air Elaina forced herself up to the stool and sat down. Seconds later the hat was upon her head coming down to cover her eyes. Her hands gripped the edges of the stool and as time passed they became whiter and whiter.

The student body waited in silence waiting for the verdict to ring out into the air, but it seemed as though the hat had a bit of difficulty deciding because it took five minutes before the answer was heard.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Elaina quickly yanked the hat off and set it on the stool for the next kid. Cheers were rolling off of the table second from the right. Not as loud as Gryffindor's was for Potter, but Elaina was not really paying attention. She was too focused on making it to a seat as quickly as possible. When Elaina got to the table she was introduced to a bunch of different people, all congratulating her on joining the house. Elaina just barely managed to force out responses until finally attention was once again given to the sorting.

Elaina spent the rest of the ceremony in silence.

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><p>Elaina ran down the passageway. The sound of her feet hitting the stone echoed softly off the walls but Elaina did not care. All of the teachers were far enough away that it did not matter. Even Peeves and Ms. Norris were not around to catch her.<p>

Elaina made a sharp right into a connecting hallway. A few feet into the passageway, she came to a halt and caught her breath. She scanned her surroundings no signs of another life form existed in the hallway.

"I could have sworn someone had..." Elaina muttered.

Suddenly, a loud crash resonated through the hallway. Quickly Elaina whispered a spell she had found to quiet her footsteps and ran towards the nearest statue. It was a statue of some old, and probably dead, person who Elaina had no time to try and name. She took less than a second to look behind the statue, and decide that there was just enough room for her to fit.

Once behind the statue Elaina took a few quiet, calming breaths to slow her racing heart. Her eyes opened and she looked around. It didn't take long for her gaze to land upon an opening in the opposite wall that she had missed earlier. Tom Marvol stood in it and his stare was sharp enough that Elaina was almost positive that he could cut diamond with it. She kept eye contact though, that is until hurried footsteps broke her concentration. Instantly Elaina cast a disillusionment charm on her and pushed herself further behind the statue. Moments later a nervous looking man with a large purple turban on his head strolled into the passageway. From Elaina's point of view he looked rather nervous, but for what was beyond her. Then just as fast as the guy appeared Elaina recognized him to be Professor Quirrell, the guy who had stumbled into the Great Hall announcing the presence of a troll in the dungeons before promptly fainting right after. Elaina strained to a here what the professor was muttering. She only caught a few words.

"I am…I know…Master!"

Quirrell did not stutter like he usually did.

There was no time for pondering about it though for within seconds of Quirrell's appearance a voice called out.

"Quirrell… I find it curious to see yourself here when a troll is in the dungeons." A voice drawled.

Immediately Quirrell was back to his stuttering nervous ways as he turned around.

"S-S-Severus." Quirrell stuttered suddenly looking smaller than he actually was.

"I seem to recall that trolls were your specialty Quirrell…" Professor Snapes' words were like a horde of sharpened knives all aimed at Quirrell.

Quirrel's stuttering only got worse at the implication.

"W-Well….S-Severus I-I…" As Quirrel attempted to explain himself Snape's eyes snapped to his left. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the statue that Elaina was behind.

Elaina could feel herself beginning panic as she slowly pushed herself back. Suddenly there was a loud crash demanding the attention of everybody in the hall. Snape turned to stare in the direction the sound came from. Pausing only a second to glare at Elaina's statue, Snape was off in the grandeur manner he was known for.

Quirrell on the other hand did not move as quickly as Snape to investigate the crash, in fact he didn't even make a move to follow. He just relaxed before staring warily at the statue that Elaina was hidden behind. Elaina gulped. There was just something off about the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, but she could not put a finger on it. While Snape had this obvious disdain for people, Quirrell had… well Elaina did not know **what** Quirrell had. But whatever it was, she was pretty sure she did not want to find out.

Quirrell began to move towards the statue, suspicion written across his face.

"QUIRRELL!"

"C-coming..." Quirrell called returning back to his stuttering self as he chased after the Potions Master.

Elaina waited until she was positive that the two professors were far enough away that she could come out. After a few minutes of silence no sign of any professors appeared and Elaina let out a sigh of relief. Carefully, she pulled her self out of her little alcove and looked around. Her eyes stopped upon the hidden passageway that Marvol had been standing in. He was gone.

'_Figures.'_ Elaina thought silently scoffing. _'Now…where am I?'_

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><p>Elaina walked into the Ravenclaw common room feeling exhausted. All she wanted to do was go upstairs and collapse on her bed and sink into the soft material. Unfortunately, the moment she entered the room she was surrounded by her fellow classmates her age and older. All were demanding questions like, "What happened to you," and similar questions. Soon the avalanche of questions became so overbearing that Elaina could not longer keep track of them, nor could she provide any answer before the next question came to be.<p>

Suddenly a bright light exploded above everyone's head, quieting the questions immediately.

"PROE!" A voice demanded.

Elaina squinted trying to get a grasp of her surroundings. At last her eyes recovered so she could see in front of her. There stood Terri McDowell, one of the Ravenclaw prefects, looking-no glaring- down at Elaina. Elaina was quickly reminded of the fact that she was rather short for her age as she looked up at the much taller McDowell.

"And just _where_ have you been?" McDowell demanded.

Elaina glanced at the prefect's tapping foot and gulped.

"Um…w-well…I g-guess I wasn't really p-paying attention…" Elaina paused to take in a deep breath before continuing. "Because the next thing I knew you all were gone."

"Well then, why didn't you immediately make your way back to the tower Proe?" McDowell snapped.

Elaina began fiddling her fingers behind her back as she answered.

"Well… with all the panic I kind of…I forgot where I was going."

McDowell didn't look quite convinced of Elaina's defense but she did look as though she would accept it.

"Don't do it again… 10 points from Ravenclaw."

Protests sprung up throughout the crowd as McDowell pushed her way out of the eye of the crowd.

"That's not fair…"

"From her own house?"

While the others were distracted, Elaina slipped out of the crowd and up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. By the time Elaina hit her bed any thoughts on Tom Marvol being in the secret passageway when he shouldn't have been flew out of her mind as she immediately fell asleep upon impact.

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><p>"Unless I did my math wrong, I do believe there is a need for a change in colors," Dumbledore called out, and with a swish of his wand the green and silver banners that had suffocated the Great Hall changed to the red and gold banners of Gryffindor.<p>

Elaina felt a surge of joy flood her body as she joined the other Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs in giving Gryffindor a standing ovation for winning the House Cup.

Slytherin had lost. For the first time in the last couple of years Slytherin had lost!

Elaina stole a look at the Slytherin table. What once was filled with students filled with pride now was filled with the most miserable looking students it probably ever saw. Elaina caught the gaze of Abraxas Malley. Her smile widened as his glare deepened.

Elaina glanced at Marvol and paused. He had a cold grimace on his face as he glared straight ahead. Elaina's elation faltered as confusion took over. She followed Marvol's gaze to the middle of the staff table, where Dumbledore sat. Dumbledore suddenly met Elaina's gaze and a twinkle flashed across his eyes. Elaina tensed before tearing her eyes away from the old man. As much of a good impression as she had of the great wizard, there was just something about him that said he knew more than he should. Elaina gave herself a shake before looking back at Marvol.

'_Now why would __**he**__…?'_ Elaina shook her head once more before refocusing her attention on Marvol. He was no longer glaring at Dumbledore; however, he still seemed to be giving off this murderous aura as he began to eat.

"Elaina!" A voice called. "Earth to Elaina are you with us?"

Elaina spun around. Terry Boot was smiling at her as he snapped his fingers near her head. Others around him were quietly laughing at the situation.

"Of course I am, otherwise you would not be seeing me!" Elaina smiled as she answered. "Guess I sort spaced out, huh?"

"Sure spaced out…" Elise Petillis stated sarcastically. "See anyone you like?"

"Eh, no," Elaina responded gagging as she did so.

"Are you sure?" Elise questioned a mischievous smile stretched across her face.

Elaina only glared in response as she stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork.

* * *

><p>Elaina looked at the brick wall in front of her. She looked back at the scarlet train.<p>

She smiled softly as memories of her first year flooded her mind.

"Hey you with the copper hair!"

Elaina glanced over at the man next to the barrier.

"Hurry up, you're holdin' up the rest o' the line!"

Elaina smiled apologetically before grabbing hold of her trolley and began running towards the barrier. As she came closer to the brick wall fear and doubt began to creep back in like they did on her very first time. Just like before, right as Elaina was about to crash into the wall she shut her eyes.

It was only seconds later that Elaina got a reaction to her closed-eyed running.

"OW!"

Elaina's eyes shot open to reveal the same blonde kid from the first time. She thought for a moment before finally remembering the name.

"You know Abraxas, you really should stop standing in front of the barrier like that," Elaina teased as she began to walk away.

"Filthy little mudblood," Abraxas ground out.

Elaina just called out over her shoulder, "See you next year!"

And boy could she not wait.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> **Well, there is Chapter 2. Hope you enjoyed! Please review, feedback is welcomed here.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: sorry for the delay in posting, first my computer crashed, then, the inspiration did not come to me, than school happened. Anyway that is no longer important. Here is Chapter 3.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING Harry Potter; those rights belong to JK Rowling and her publishers.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3:<span>

Tables were filled with chattering students who showed no sign of stopping. No teacher was around, though, to stop the talking, so it didn't really matter unless you were one of the students who were suffering a cruel headache.

Elaina sat bored and staring up at the skeleton of a dragon that their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher presumable killed as she tried to ignore the squeals of the other girls in her class.

"I can NOT believe it! Gilderoy Lockhart…THE Gilderoy Lockhart is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" Susan Bones squealed.

"I can't believe that THE Gilderoy Lockhart agreed to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, everybody knows that the position is cursed." Another girl mused.

"No, it is not!" Another girl defended. "Besides even if the curse was real it wouldn't scare such a brave and honorable wizard such as _Gilderoy Lockhart_!"

Elaina groaned. She did not know how much more of this fan girlish rubbish she could handle. She had only been sitting in her seat for three minutes and already she has heard the name "Gilderoy Lockhart" 1,201 times…and counting.

"I know!" Susan gushed. "It is so hard to believe that such a famous and outstanding wizard would choose to teach here at boring old Hogwarts."

Elaina couldn't take it anymore. She snapped. "It is hard to believe that so many people, girls mainly, are so hung over some boring old wizard!"

The reactions were instantaneous. All chattering stopped. Glares were immediately directed at her as if glares could kill. Elaina swore she heard a pin drop the only problem was where the pin was. Elaina swallowed and smiled in an attempt to lessen the tension. It didn't work. A number of girls, if not, all of the girls opened their mouths ready to blast her with protests and retorts to her statement. But right before any sound could exit their mouths a sound of a door slamming open echoed through the room, drawing their attention to the front where a blonde haired man dressed in a flashy robe that could only be described as baby blue emerged.

"Welcome! To Defense Against the Dark Arts, where you may just find yourself facing your worst fear!" The professor certainly had a talent for the dramatics but Elaina couldn't help but wonder if he was really any good at Defense Against the Dark Arts. Furthermore she really wanted to puke right then and there, something about this teacher just really set her stomach on edge. To top the feeling off, the sound of her fellow female classmates sighing lovingly only worsened her mood.

"My name is Gilderoy Lockhart, although, I am sure that many of you already know that.

"Unfortunately," Elaina muttered. "OUCH!"

Elaina turned to try and see who had sent a stinging spell at her but all she received were too many glares directed at her to determine who had sent it.

"Miss…are you okay?" Lockhart sounded so concerned that Elaina actually wanted to sprint to the hospital wing to see if they could just drain the contents of her stomach so they wouldn't come rushing up her esophagus. Elaina spun around in her seat and stared up at the professor.

"Yes sir." She responded blandly. Lockhart merely continued on with his welcome speech not bothering to acknowledge that Elaina had even said anything.

"Now, to start out, I thought we'd take a little quiz, something that I have devised myself and personally one that I feel very proud of.

Muttering filled the room as confusion set. That all stopped, though, when Lockhart delicately set the last test in front of Terry Boot. Silence reigned supreme allowing the students to begin answering the questions. For Elaina, it meant she could start skimming the questions.

'What is Gileroy Lockhart's favorite color?'

'_You have got to be kidding me."_ Elaina thought. She quickly wrote down, 'Who cares?' Unfortunately it only got worse from there. All of the questions would hardly be considered to even be remotely related to the Dark Arts. They were all about Lockhart himself. Elaina already in a foul mood quickly wrote similar answers to her first 'who cares.' As a result she was the first one done.

Having finished her assigned work, Elaina sat there and thought over her school year so far. So far it was fine she had to say. Schoolwork was going fine and she did not truly have any problems with her teachers so far. The only two unfortunate parts, aside from Lockhart, were that one she didn't really have any friends, although she was on good terms with her classmates; and two, she hadn't seen Priscilla, the one girl she considered a friend, all year. They had managed to keep contact for half of the summer but mere weeks before the start of school Dorrier had stopped sending her messages. Elaina was beginning to think that something was up.

Elaina shook her head and looked up towards the front of the class where Lockhart was standing smiling prideful of his apparent success of his first day on the job.

'_Would he even __**survive**__ in a battle involving the Dark Arts?"_ Elaina thought mentally twitching. She looked around, her classmates were still scribbling away and based off of their frustrated expressions it was going to take a bit for all of them to finish. After taking one last glance up at Lockhart, who was now beaming at her probably thinking that she was his number one fan in the class, Elaina snatched up her pen and began doodling on her paper to make it look like she wasn't finished. Glancing up as she doodled, she could see the pride in Lockhart's eyes had diminished a bit and he was now spending his time surveying the entire class. Elaina felt relief wash over her. She continued doodling until the last paper was collected.

* * *

><p>"I am rather disappointed in you class. It is almost as if none of you have read any of my books. If you had read any of them, you may have known that my favorite color is lilac and my greatest achievement was when I saved the Princess of Pachook from the clutches of that bloodthirsty werewolf, which you can read about in my book…oh dear I can't seem to recall the name of it right now, but it is in there."<p>

Elaina saw her chance.

"What's a Pachook?"

"It's a country somewhere in Eastern Europe." Lockhart responded before smiling as if the question was never posed.

Elaina, undeterred, pressed on.

"Does it actually exist?"

"Of course it exists!" Lockhart exclaimed as if he was offended. Which, knowing him, albeit briefly, he probably was. "I have been there, an adventure that you can, once again, read about in my books.

Elaina opened her mouth to report that she had not spotted any adventure dealing with 'Pachook' anywhere in his books when she had skimmed them, but the sharp stinging pain of a shoe being driven into her right foot stopped her.

"Ow!" She spat out under her breath. As Elaina rubbed her sore foot she looked at Sylva Moore, who was sitting next to her. Moore wasn't looking at her but Elaina could still see the smirk plastered upon her dainty little face. She scowled. One comment and the girls already seemed to be after her neck.

Elaina began to lower her foot as she began to pay a bit more attention to the teacher in hopes of ignoring her classmates. However, her _classmates_ had other intentions for her. One of her classmates decided it would be fun to send a stinging curse at her foot while she was not paying attention. Elaina bit her lip to stop herself from screaming from the immense pain she was feeling. Whoever had cast the spell was really holding on to it for a long time because the pain was not ceasing. Suddenly Elaina could feel and just slightly hear a sharp crack coming from her foot. She bit harder into her lip drawing blood, barely able to keep a scream from erupting from her mouth. The curse was lifted.

Any talking that had been happening around Elaina ceased. Although the room suddenly became quieter, Lockhart took no notice and continued teaching. Elaina barely took notice as she tried to control the pain she was feeling. She gripped the table hard, hoping that some of the pain or tension in her body would travel into the wood instead of into her bones and central nervous system.

At long last the pain subsided and Elaina was able to glance down at her foot only to see her ankle red all around. Cautiously Elaina tried placing her foot down. At first her foot felt fine but when she put as much weight as she would when she was walking on it pain shot through her nerves, and up into her brain making her to flinch.

"_It is definitely broken."_ Elaina cursed. She looked back toward the desks behind her. The majority of the girls were pale and looked like deer in headlights, even if they didn't appear to mean to. Only Pansy Parkinson had a smug smirk on her face. When Elaina narrowed her eyes at Parkinson, as if to ask if she had done it, Parkinson nodded her head. Pride sparkled in her eyes. Elaina felt annoyance and anger bubble up inside of her. As she turned to face the front, Elaina pulled out her wand and pointed it at Parkinson from underneath her robe sleeve.

"Tarantallegra" Elaina muttered with a few extra words. The spell went flying through the air, toward the intended target. Unfortunately Parkinson managed to spot the hex and merely moved to the side effectively dodging the spell, an action that Elaina missed having already turned to face the front of the room.

"OW! Marvol, what did you do that for!"

Elaina spun around her eyes wide. That was not any of Parkinson's friends that had spoken.

"As it would appear, _Blake_, I have apparently been hit by the Trantallegra hex." Marvol gritted out. Elaina, had she not been the one who had cast the spell, would have easily burst out into a laughing fit, but there was no telling what Marvol would do. He was a Slytherin, and they were known to turn other students in when the situation suited them. As a person, though, Elaina did not really know if Marvol would turn her in, she wanted to say he wouldn't but there was still something about his character that seemed a bit off.

Marvol at the present moment seemed more annoyed than anything else. His legs were a blur as they were moving too fast to really tell what they were doing. At one point Elaina could almost swear he was doing an Irish jig but she could not really tell if it was so or not. Occasionally she could hear a few thuds as Marvol's feet hit some material, whether it was the desk or his fallen chair or Blake.

Other students began to take notice of the sounds and turned to look at the back table. Many began to laugh and some even threw out some taunts at the dancing boy, which did not make Marvol any happier. Elaina was beginning to fear that the Slytherin boy would do something unsightly to his classmates if they didn't stop laughing but Elaina did not see a way to stop the laughing without out right defending the boy.

"Blake," Marvol growled. "Make. It. Stop!"

"Are you sure Tom?" Blake asked, a smirk dancing upon his face. "This is the most carefree I have seen you in ages!"

"Blake…" Marvol stretched out the one name making clear his waning patience towards the black haired wizard.

To Elaina it seemed as if Marvol had sent some unspoken message to Blake, because within seconds Blake's face paled considerably.

"Yes Tom!" Alphard Blake began frantically searching his robes for his wand.

Elaina glanced down at their desk where Marvol's wand lay. She looked back up and met Marvol's gaze. His grey eyes narrowed before looking down at his desk. Something flashed across his eyes and he reached down for his wand.

Just as Marvol was reaching for his wand, however, two things happened. The first was that Alphard had finally been able to produce his wand from his robes. The second, to both of their misfortunes, happened only seconds after Blake pulled his wand out. Just as Marvol's hand was about to become close enough to pick up the wand on the desk, Marvol's outstretched hand jerked up and slightly back slamming into Blake's face sending him reeling back and causing his wand to drop out of his hand.

Laughter in the classroom only increased at this and even Elaina began to giggle a bit before she managed to push the laughter down. Marvol was no longer doing an Irish jig; instead he appeared to be doing some sort of disco.

"What on earth is going on?" Apparently enough of the class had turned to watch Marvol that the teacher finally noticed the commotion. "Why Mr. Marvol, while I certainly understand the desire to be the center of attention I would hardly call the time appropriate!"

Elaina snorted in amusement as Lockhart strolled past the rows of desks filled with the laughing students to enter the scene. As he moved Lockhart spoke about the difference between the right and the wrong time, but by the time he actually reached Marvol he was already boasting about one of his many adventures.

Marvol clearly didn't care about Lockhart's stories if his face, twitching in annoyance, was any indication.

"Now, Mr. Marvol if you would kindly stop your dancing we can continue with the lesson and I won't have to deduct any points," Lockhart instructed in his annoyingly cheerful voice.

A spark of annoyance flashed across Marvol's face as Lockhart stated his request.

"I can't professor," Marvol responded through his teeth.

"Nonsense," Lockhart exclaimed. "Those are your feet; surely you must be able to stop them!"

"I'm afraid that I can't, professor." Marvol was growing more annoyed by the second. Not that Elaina could blame him. "I believe that _someone _has cast the 'tarantallegra' hex on me."

Elaina did not miss the glare Marvol sent her way as he said someone, but Lockhart sure did.

"Now why didn't you say that in the first place Mr. Marvol!" Lockhart exclaimed pulling out his wand as he did so. The class seeing the emergence of the professor's wand quieted and sat with bated breath. "I know just the spell to fix your predicament."

Rather dramatically Lockhart began to flourish his wand in a complicated set of twists and turns as he spoke an unusual spell. Elaina felt confused because what Lockhart was saying was not the reversal spell. The counter spell was only one word yet Lockhart was still spewing out many words.

Suddenly a bright light erupted from Lockhart's wand engulfing the room in a white light and blinding all of the room's inhabitants. All at once screaming broke out as people began to panic. Chairs could be heard scraping across the floor as some thought it wise to stand.

"I can't see!" Someone screamed. Soon after that the sound of glass shattering sliced through the air.

"I can't see either!"

"Someone turn the lights off!"

Then as suddenly as the light had appeared it disappeared. Crashes and thuds were still heard as students struggled to get a grasp of their surroundings and regain their sight.

"Ow!"

"Hey watch it!"

"Oh, I am sorry, I COULDN'T SEE YOU THERE!"

"I-I think I j-just stepped on s-someone's toe!"

"I still can't see!"

The shouts continued for a few minutes until people finally began to regain their sight.

Elaina had remained seated and instead of panicking and screaming spent those few minutes after the light had vanished repeatedly blinking her eyes trying to regain her sight gradually.

At last the room quieted down and students began to look around.

"Oi, what 'appened?" Mikael Veruca, a ravenclaw asked.

Elaina was about to respond but a loud scream and another bright light interrupted her.

Elaina looked toward where the scream had come from to see Parkinson run from her seat. But Elaina quickly dismissed it instead to focus on the group of wizards with the flailing arms and legs in the back of the room. If the situation had been different maybe Elaina would have been laughing but as it was she instead felt a little cold.

Not only were Blake, Marvol, and Malley dancing uncontrollably but so was Lockhart. Lockhart however, still had his wand and somehow was releasing spells left and right as his wand armed flung around randomly.

"Not to worry everyone," Lockhart cheerfully called out. "I am perfectly sure that everything will be back to normal in a jiffy!"

No one appeared to be reassured, whether it was because they didn't believe him or they were already screaming as they tried to dodge the random spells that came shooting out of Lockhart's wand. Elaina ducked behind her table and surveyed the room. It could only be described as pure chaos. Papers were flying, chairs were being toppled over and even a few desks were on their sides.

Another spell flew out of Lockhart's wand, just barely missing the students, and crashed into the large picture of Lockhart blowing it apart. The explosion only intensified the screaming.

"Somebody do something!" one of the Ravenclaw girls screamed.

"Like what!" Parkinson snapped.

"I think I read somewhere that if a person won't stop dancing you should shove some shamrocks down their throat and they will stop!" Another Ravenclaw called out.

Another spell, this time lavender, shot over the students heads. Elaina watched as one of the Slytherins stood up just in time to be blasted by the strange spell. A piercing scream ripped out of the boy's throat.

Elaina flinched as she watched the light disappear and the boy raise his hands to his face. Almost immediately he cursed.

"I can't see!"

At this point students erupted in protests demanding that someone do something to fix the situation.

"Oh, for the love of Slytherin!"

Elaina looked to her right to see Draco Malfoy standing up with his wand drawn.

"Clearly they are put under the tarantallegra hex, any fool should know that considering Marvol already pointed that one out," Malfoy snapped. "Finite"

The spell rushed across the room and hit Tom Marvol. Malfoy smirked in triumph. But nothing happened. Marvol continued dancing, if that indeed was what he was doing. The smirk fell off of Malfoy's face faster than it had appeared.

"What was that?" Marvol sneered.

"It…didn't work…?" Malfoy stammered.

"Clearly," Marvol replied with as much sarcasm as possible.

Malfoy began to talk but stopped when he caught sight of Marvol's glare. Elaina watched this interaction with curiosity. Clearly something was going on but she had no clue as to what that was. Suddenly a stream of light from Lockhart's wand snagged her attention away from the two slytherins.

"Malfoy watch out!" Elaina called out. She watched though as Malfoy looked toward the spell coming at him. Unfortunately he wasn't fast enough to dodge. With a shout of pain, Malfoy was sent flying into the stone wall behind him. Elaina grimaced.

The chaos in the classroom erupted, as if the previous chaos was only a rumbling of a volcano before it actually erupted. Spells began to fly out of Lockhart's wand more frequently making it so that if any student tried to stand up they were immediately forced to duck in order to dodge a spell.

"Well are all of you just going to cower there or are you going to do something?" Marvol snapped.

At that moment Peter Longhaven managed to get close enough to the door that he could escape but mere moments before his hand was about to enclose the door handle a white light slammed into the handle creating a loud bang, almost like a bomb went off. Peter managed to step back in time to avoid that spell but the moment he stepped back another spell was heading his way.

Elaina watched in fear as Peter's eyes widened in shock and he seemed to freeze in the spot. At the last second though he managed to throw himself to the ground and the spell blew apart chunks of the stone wall. Elaina felt a bit of relief wash over her.

Elaina's relief though left her though as she watched in horror at the chaos around her. She felt like she was in the middle of the war and the only way out of it was to take down the rampaging demon but it was hopeless because everybody was running and screaming because the hero had died.

Finally Elaina had enough. Seeing her opportunity she shot up.

"EXPELLIARMUS! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

* * *

><p>Lines of trophies and plaques filled the walls and shelves. Each individual gleam of the trophies seemed to mock Elaina as she worked on the trophy in hand. She didn't want to think about the number of sets of armor scattered throughout the room that Filch may force her to clean.<p>

"I fail to see how this is supposed to teach us anything, sir!" Abraxas Malley called out as he lazily scrubbed the grey stone floor.

"It never does," Filch answered hobbling over to where the students remained working. Filch looked over Elaina's shoulder as she worked on a Quidditch trophy from years back.

"You missed a spot," Filch remarked before moving over towards Malley. Elaina quickly froze and scanned over the golden statue.

"O'course I'd prefer hangin' students from the rafter by their toes…" Elaina chose that moment to interrupt.

"Sir, what spot are you talking about?" Elaina swore that if looks could kill she'd be five feet under.

"What spot? What Spot? The spot right there where there is a g'therin' of dust! Filch spat out before storming out of the room muttering something about accursed brats who think they own the place. Elaina looked down for Ms. Norris but suddenly remembered about _the incident_.

"Guess that's my cue," Abraxas stated.

Elaina turned to face him. She watched as he got up from his position and stretched, groaning as he began to walk away.

"Last day of detention and you want to risk getting more detentions Malley?" Elaina called out.

"Get a life _mudblood_, or don't, but Filch is **gone** and I am not sticking around for something I didn't do."

"So you call firing a Knee Reversal Hex at me nothing?" Elaina accused while crossing her arms in the process.

"So the spell slipped out," Malley had a wide smirk on his face as he said this. "Like I told the professors, I did not mean to send a spell at anyone let alone a mudblood such as your self. Besides you are most certainly not worth my time."

Elaina bristled at this but pushed it aside. "Right…" She stared at him as his eyes sparkled with pride.

"I suppose it is the same story regarding that Tarantallegra hex you cast upon me during Defense?" A voice interrupted.

Elaina spun around in shock. There standing a few feet into the room was Tom Marvol with his dark hair plastered to his head in that ridiculously neat way of his.

"I suppose I do owe you an apology for that one Marvol," Elaina replied calmly. "Besides, how was I to know that Parkinson was so adept at dodging hexes?"

Marvol smirked in response. Elaina felt herself twitch in annoyance.

"I am sorry Marvol for hitting you with the Tarantallegra hex, especially since it wasn't meant for you," Elaina apologized. She even threw in a dramatic bow, which only served to amuse Marvol. "Now, what, pray tell, are you doing here?"

"I was simply curious as to the whereabouts of Malley. Usually he is back in the common room by now."

"How caring of you Marvol," Elaina stated. She glanced at the trophy she had spent the last five minutes cleaning. She looked back at Marvol and Malley and grimaced. Carefully she set the trophy down and walked towards the exit. Before she was able to pass the smirking Slytherins Malley stopped her with his annoying little voice.

"What's this? Miss. Goody Ravenclaw skirting her duties?" Malley jibed.

"What is this, a weasel walking on two legs?" Elaina exclaimed. Malley twitched. Elaina ignored the two wizards' responses though and spoke.

"I don't care if you two are out later or not, but if you keep quiet I will keep quiet. Deal?"

Marvol's amusement appeared to grow and Malley's annoyance seemed to dull.

"Will you now," Marvol exaggerated. "How Slytherin of you! Although I don't think most Slytherins would state it in such a way."

"Marvol, I highly doubt what house a student is in dictates how he or she would do concerning a detention if the chance arose that they could escape it." Elaina pointed out.

"Unless of course the student is Hufflepuff," Malley responded grimacing as he did so.

"Not that there is anything wrong with the Hufflepuff house," Elaina threw in.

"Whatever," Malley shrugged. Clearly he wasn't going to agree with Elaina's statement. Elaina didn't try to press her point.

"Now, as _pleasant_ as this conversation has been, I need to get to my dorm and you two need to make your way to the dungeons. Cheers!" Elaina ended her announcement with a cheery tone before skipping around the two and out to the hallways. Once she was around the corner and out of the duo's sight, she stopped and dropped her cheery disposition. She strained her hearing to see if the Slytherins were going to speak.

She was soon blessed in a most unfortunate circumstance to hear Malley's voice.

"There is something wrong with that mudblood."

"Maybe," Marvol replied. "But that is not important right now, I have been doing a bit of research…"

That was all that Elaina was able to hear, for at the point all sound coming from the trophy room dropped off. Elaina remained where she was for a few moments to see if any further conversation would be revealed, but when none came she began to walk away towards Ravenclaw tower silently cursing muffliato charms.

* * *

><p>When Elaina finally reached the entrance to the Ravenclaw tower she was exhausted. She barely managed to figure out the answer to enter the common room and she didn't even notice that someone was sitting on the blue couch until he spoke.<p>

"You're out awfully late."

Elaina who had just reached the bottom of the stairs leading to the girls' dorms spun around. There on the couch sat Peter Longhaven, a third year Ravenclaw boy.

"I had detention," Elaina replied meeting Longhaven's eyes as he turned to face her.

"Awfully late for a detention, what if Filch had caught you?" He questioned. Elaina could feel annoyance bubble up inside of her. Who was he, who she barely spoke to, although more to than any other ravenclaws, to interrogate her over her tardiness of going to bed? Elaina sighed in an attempt to push her annoyance down.

"I had detention with Filch."

Peter's face melted into an apologetic expression and then into one of shock.

"Really? Usually he keeps students later than this when he is able to!"

"Filch left early, then Marvol appeared inquiring after Malley and they left, so I followed their example."

"Hm… must be because of the attack on Ms. Norris," Peter mused out loud.

"Don't you think we should feel at least a little bad about the poor cat?" Elaina asked.

The two looked at each other for a minute before breaking out into smiles and soft laughter.

"Nah, the cat needs the break after constantly ratting out students," Peter elaborated.

"You mean the students need the break from the cat." Elaina corrected him.

"Whatever, but we should be worried about what is happening at Hogwarts. Whatever it is that is able to petrify cats and humans is still loose and at this point could attack any one in this castle at any given moment."

"Doing a bit of research have you?" Elaina teased.

"Yep, and my best guess is that whatever this creature is it has something to do with the Chamber of Secrets."

"And what, pray tell, gives you that impression?" Elaina asked.

"**I** have friends in Gryffindor," Peter remarked smugly. Elaina only stared at him blankly; he got the message of her cluelessness.

"The other day in History of Magic, Hermione Granger apparently asked dear dead Professor Binns about the Chamber of Secrets, and if a member of the Golden Trio is interested in the Chamber of Secrets then there must be a connection."

"And what makes you believe, Longhaven, that just because Hermione Granger and her friends are interested in the Chamber that it is relevant?"

"Because, don't you remember last year how those three were always running around trying to figure out what was happening at Hogwarts and ended up doing something big?" Peter had a twinkle in his eyes as if he knew he already won. Unfortunately, Elaina knew she had nothing to retort with.

"Yes, their curiosity almost puts some of Ravenclaw's finest to shame, but I suppose it was really their bravery that really did the work." Elaina mused.

"Yeah, but that's not entirely the point, what if they're onto something again, what if the Chamber of Secrets has really been opened?"

"First off," Elaina began, "what is the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Some chamber that Slytherin himself is said to have created right before he left that only the true heir of Slytherin could open. Also that inside the Chamber resides a monster that only the Heir of Slytherin could control," Longhaven responded.

Elaina stared at him shocked for a second before responding to his earlier question.

"Then Hogwarts is in some real danger."

Peter gave her an exasperated look. "Yes, Hogwarts is in trouble if the chamber has been opened. It is for that reason that we all should be more careful when we go out whether it is to and from detention or in between classes."

"So, we don't know what exactly the monster is that dwells inside the Chamber of Secrets?" Elaina asked.

"Nope," was the response.

Elaina thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Probably some creature snake related."

"Doubt it, I've never heard of a type of snake that could petrify a cat without leaving any puncture marks."

They both fell silent after that. Elaina pondered about what Peter had said. She was just about to give up on the conversation when a thought struck her.

"What about a Basilisk?" She questioned.

"A what?"

"A Basilisk," Elaina repeated. Peter was clearly confused but he still asked.

"What is a Basilisk Proe?"

"It's basically a giant snake that if a person was to look directly into its gaze the person would die."

"But what if they look indirectly into the gaze?" Peter asked.

"They become petrified."

They both fell silent. The though of a basilisk being loose in the school slowed their minds to a near stop. Elaina was just about to turn around to ascend into the girls dormitories when Peter spoke up.

"Hey Proe, there's something that has been bothering me for a while now."

"And what is that?" Elaina asked.

"I thought the Tarantallegra hex was only supposed to make the legs of the target move uncontrollably not the entire body."

Elaina paused as she remembered that day in Defense. She shook her head of her thoughts before responding.

"It is supposed to do that, but I guess something happened when I cast it that altered the results. I don't honestly know."

Longhaven seemed to accept her explanation because he just nodded and got up to go to bed himself.

"Night Longhaven," Elaina called out.

With that she began to climb the steps to her dorm.

"'Night Proe."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you talked me into this," Elaina muttered darkly.<p>

"Come on it'll be fun," Peter cheered.

"It's being taught by Lockhart," Elaina complained. "The guy is a walking disaster when it comes to defending against the dark arts!"

"I disagree, but Professor Snape is also teaching the club, so how bad could it be?"

"Sh…Snape is glaring at us!" Elaina whispered.

She and Longhaven had been foregoing listening to Lockhart's introduction speech in favor of chatting with each other. Now though the Potions Master had caught on and ceased their chatter with only a look.

"Professor Snape and I will now demonstrate," Lockhart announced. He then lowered his voice and brought his hand up as if he was telling some great secret.

"Don't worry you'll still have your Potions Master when I am through with him!"

Snape sneered at the comment, clearly he had heard. Elaina rolled her eyes at Lockhart's over inflated ego.

"Two galleons that Snape will easily beat Lockhart." Elaina muttered as the two professors took their positions. Her comment earned glares from every girl in the immediate vicinity of her person. Elaina kept her face even, restraining her face from twitching. Gryffindor Lavender Brown was the first to speak.

"Yeah right! Did Professor Snape take down werewolves?"

Elaina didn't answer.

"No, Lockhart did! Did Professor Snape take down—"

"Miss Brown, I'd advise that if you wish to learn how to duel you pay close attention." Snape called out in his drawling voice.

Brown immediately quit talking but she and the other girls first sent looks toward Elaina that told her that the bet was on.

A few precious second passes before the teachers moved. Lockhart was the first to really make any movement. He began moving forward as he began flourishing his wand wildly while speaking some incoherent string of words. Snape merely flicked his wand stating in a rather bored tone, "Expelliarmus. Lockhart was sent flying back as his wand flew into Snape's free hand.

The sight of the poor excuse of a Defense teacher being sent flying made Elaina almost wish Snape had been appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Lockhart-unfortunately- was quick to recover.

"Good job showing them that spell, Professor Snape." Lockhart clearly thought his pride had been broken based off of the pettiness of the sound of his voice.

Elaina did not catch Snape's retort. Suddenly Lockhart spun around and instructed the students to partner up, and use the disarming spell only. Although, immediately after he said this Lockhart and Snape pitted Harry Potter against Draco Malfoy.

Elaina turned to Longhaven and smiled. He nodded and the two bowed and began walking away from each other. Once they had reached seven paces they spun back around and, wands raised, waited for the other to make the first move.

"So…Elaina Proe making a wager?" Longhaven taunted.

Elaina smiled. "Easiest 20 galleons I've ever made. Expell—"

"PROE!"

Elaina flinched and snapped her attention up to Snape.

"I believe Miss Dorrier is in need of a partner."

Elaina considered objecting but the sternness in the Professor's expression discouraged any objections. Elaina instead apologized to Longhaven and went off to find Priscilla. Although she felt bad that she had to leave Peter instead of dueling him she also felt a bit excited about getting the chance to duel and see Priscilla. It had been so long since she had heard from the girl.

At last Elaina spotted the blond Dorrier. But the closer she got the more she was able to see that Priscilla was not alone. She was with Pansy Parkinson and her friends. Elaina frowned. Now that she thought about it she had been seeing them together a lot during classes. Parkinson could only mean trouble for Elaina. Sucking down her foreboding sense, Elaina walked up to the group of girls and interrupted their snickering.

"Hey Priscilla!" Elaina said semi-cheerfully.

For a brief second Priscilla looked as if she was going to smile and just as cheerfully greet Elaina. But Parkinson immediately picked up on it and frowned. Priscilla immediately hardened her face and managed out a harsh glare.

Elaina paused and waited for one of the other girls to make a move. The group glanced at each other as if sharing some great message. Then they split apart and paired up.

Elaina looked cautiously at Priscilla. Silently Dorrier began to walk away apparently deciding to skip the very beginning of the duel. Elaina spun around and began walking her seven steps as a thousand thoughts swarmed her mind. Thoughts like, "did something happen?" and other similar questions.

Elaina was so caught up in her thoughts that although she was only on her sixth step she had failed to realize that Priscilla had already finished her seven steps. Priscilla did not wait for Elaina to turn and prepare herself.

"Impedimenta!"

Elaina felt pain shoot through her body as if a bulldozer had rammed into her. Elaina could no longer feel the ground beneath her feet; in fact, she could barely see the ground through all of the stars. Next thing she knew Elaina crashed into the ground.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>** There is Chapter 3. Feel free to review, constructive criticism, or feedback is welcomed.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't, and I won't ever, own Harry Potter.**

_Flashbacks/dreams_

'_thoughts'_

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey Elaina, do you be<em>_lieve in fate?"_

_Elaina glanced at Priscilla and scratched her head as she answered._

"_To be honest, no."_

"_So you don't believe we were fated to become friends?"_

"_Maybe there is some reason that pushed us to become friends, but if fate rules our lives then we don't really have any free will of our own do we?"_

Slowly Elaina rolled over onto her hands and knees. She gasped for air as she stared at her shaking hands. Was she even going to be able to stand? Elaina looked at her wand lying there in between her hands at rest. She took in a deep breath and slowly grabbed her wand. Still shaking, she pushed herself up to her feet. As she stood, Elaina caught sight of a smirk falling off of Priscilla's face. Memories continued to skim across Elaina's mind.

"_Hey mudblood, which witch did you steal that wand from?" Greengrass sneered._

"_Do you even have any magic?" Another girl taunted as the group of girls continued to advance._

_Elaina backed up scanning for the nearest exit._

"_Yeah, she can't even cast a simple levitation spell!" Pansy Parkinson jeered._

_Elaina glared at the slytherin girl. Ever since she had stepped foot into the castle Parkinson had singled her and that Granger girl from Gryffindor out._

"_I'm sorr-"_

"_Just like a mudblood to apologize. How pathetic."_

"_How insulting!"_

"_Maybe she should have been in Hufflepuff!"_

"_Maybe you should be in a dog pound Parkinson."_

_The Slytherin girls went silent and spun around to glare at the intruder. Elaina shifted to try and see who had spoken up but with every one of her movements her tormentors worked to block her from seeing who it was._

"_Well Dorrier, you traitor, if I belong in a dog pound you must belong in Azkaban!" Parkinson snapped taking a couple of menacing steps toward Priscilla._

"_Well at least I'd be released." Priscilla retorted. Elaina smirked at this._

"_What do you think you are doing Dorrier defending a mudblood?"_

"_I do believe that I am defending a friend!"_

Elaina flinched at the memory as she steadied herself on her feet and prepared herself for Priscilla's attack. She heard a jumble of words and acted.

"PROTEGO!"

The two spells collided, oddly enough creating sparks.

"_You know what Elaina." Priscilla stuck her hand out. Elaina grabbed it and pulled herself up._

"_What?"_

"_Don't get me wrong, I really do hate Gryffindors, but they do have something right."_

"_Oh? A Gryffindor has something right, and a Slytherin admitting it!" Elaina acted surprised. "What is it?"_

"_Courage, bravery," Priscilla smiled. "Everybody needs some, even if it looks like the opposite to others."_

"Protego! Expelliarmous!" Elaina shouted. She didn't know how long the duel had been going on, but clearly the professors weren't going to step in anytime soon.

"Confringo!" Priscilla shot the spell out of her wand, but Elaina hesitated only barely managing to duck before the spell to hit her.

'_What was that?'_ She thought as she heard the sound of stone exploding. She stared up at the blonde girl that for the past year she had dared to call her friend. Priscilla's eyes, normally a light honey brown color, were now a dark menacing brown color.

Elaina shakily pushed herself to her feet and self-consciously raised her wand as if she was about to be killed. She didn't say anything, she didn't consciously move. She just stood there, shaking as she took in what she was seeing.

"Aww is the little mudblood too speechless to do anything?" Priscilla jeered. "Pity, I was rather hoping to get more of a fight out of you, but I suppose I misjudged you _**friend**_."

Something inside of Elaina finally snapped.

"EXPELL-." But Priscilla was faster even with wider and more dramatic flourishing of her wand. Before Elaina could even get her own spell out of her mouth Priscilla's spell was already rushing toward her.

Just as Elaina was about to finish her spell, Priscilla's spell slammed into her sending her flying through the air. Elaina choked. She could not feel the ground and her legs felt unusually cold. Absentminded Elaina glanced over her shoulder to see a stone wall approaching quickly. She turned back around and met the excited eyes of Priscilla before it all went black.

* * *

><p><em>[Flashback]<em>

"_Hey Priscilla?"_

"_Yes Elaina?"_

"_Do you think we will always be friends?"_

_Silence. Elaina stared out over the lake watching as the lake's giant squid surfaced for only a few second before diving back under. She couldn't help but wonder if life was as short as the time the squid surfaced for or if it was as long as how long the squid spent under water. She knew that some cultures believed in reincarnation but she also knew that there were many others that did not._

'_**I wonder what it would be like to be reincarnated." **__Elaina thought. Briefly she began to ponder on it, but quickly turned away from the thought. She was distracted._

_One glance at Priscilla though told Elaina that Priscilla had yet to answer. Priscilla stood there her eyes clouded in thought and her lips scrunched into a small pout. Her hands, whether she realized it or not, were playing with the fabric of her robes._

_Elaina felt her heart sadden as the realization sunk in. She looked back at the water and watched as the calm and gentle water reflected the light almost joyfully._

'_**The water is so pretty,'**__ Elaina thought. __**'But it makes me fee so lonely.'**_

"…_Hm…guess I better go finish that potions homework, Merlin knows how difficult Snape makes his assignments." Elaina gave a weak smile and when no response came she walked away doubts plaguing her mind. [End of flashback]_

_[Dream]_

"_Dear, go to the safe house." A kind woman with red hair smiled at the girl so similar to herself._

"_Mom, I'm not five anymore," The girl, 'dear', hesitated upon seeing her mother's expression. "Why?"_

"_Please sweetie, just do it, no more questions."_

_Dear began to turn but hesitated. Worry was evident on her mother's face making her seem far older than she really was. Dear felt her mood dampen as if gallons of ice cold water filled her organs._

_The safe house was a room tucked within the walls of the apartment between her apartment and their neighbor's. The entrance to the 'house' was covered by a tall mahogany bookshelf that had bee a family heirloom for years but as 'Dear' started moving toward the dining room where the bookshelf was she couldn't help but feel that she would not see the shelf in tact again. The safe hose had been designed to keep eight, maybe ten, people alive for many months if an emergency arose that called for such a course of action. Every year Dear had been forced to perform an emergency drill and it had gotten to the point at which she didn't really care, but something in her mother's voice and expression told her that this time it was urgent._

_Dear veered left into the dining room. The room was just as it always had been but it seemed darker and more eerily quiet. Dear paused to glance out the window. Not one bird soared past the window and not one chirp was heard. It seemed so surreal. A loud banging snapped her out of her musing and within moments she was sprinting toward the great ornate bookcase and carefully she pulled back the third book on the third shelf and reached back until she felt a small knob. Quickly she pushed the knob in and stepped back. With only a slight creak the bookcase moved forward having just enough space between itself and the wall for a fit adult to squeeze through. Dear rushed to squeeze herself through and into the darkness._

"**Elaina…Elaina…-up!"**

Slowly Elaina's eyes fluttered open letting in an unbelievably large amount of light. As her eyes began to adjust she began to make out a dark shadow, the outline of a person, hanging over her. As her vision became clearer the form became more and more defined until it was revealed to be Peter Longhaven.

Elaina groaned bringing a hand up to her eyes.

"What happened?" Elaina sounded as groggy as she felt.

"Oh, Dorrier hit you with a nasty spell…hard." Longhaven stated with almost a twinge of anger creeping forth.

Elaina looked at him confused. She couldn't for the life of her remember why Priscilla would want to jinx her. Thankfully Peter caught on.

"Lockhart's—."

"Dueling Club, right." Elaina sighed and pushed herself up to lean against the metal headboard.

"It was almost as eventful as Potter's duel," Peter smirked amusement dancing across his eyes. "Potter sent a snake at some Hufflepuff kid. Now everybody is pretty much convinced that he is the heir of Slytherin."

"Potter?" Elaina laughed. "I highly doubt that. Besides wouldn't the heir of Slytherin be in, well, Slytherin?"

Elaina as she had been talking had also glanced around the room but it wasn't until she finished speaking that she finally registered another person present.

"Marvol?"

"I am only here because Longhaven here couldn't levitate you to the hospital wing, nor gather enough courage to carry you here." Elaina could practically see the annoyance rolling off of Marvol.

"That's not true!" Peter jumped to defend himself as his face turned bright red.

"Gee Marvol; I have never realized just how much of a joy you can be to be around." Elaina threw out the sarcastic comment.

"Pleased to know you think so." Marvol had a smirk on that was just as sarcastic as his response. "Now, if you would excuse me, I still have some homework to finish."

Before either Elaina or Peter could reply Marvol was already up and out the door. Elaina turned back to Peter.

"So…Potter sent a snake at a Hufflepuff?"

Peter's face melted into a large smile and he launched into a detailed explanation of what had transpired at the dueling club.

* * *

><p>"Open your books to 434…" Professor Snape paced around the classroom with his usual sneer plastered on his face. His beady black eyes glared at each student over his pointy hooked nose. Elaina watched him from a number of tables back, hardly paying attention to the Professor's explanation. As she went through her thoughts Elaina quickly flipped her book open to page 434.<p>

She was rather bored. Of course she was always bored in Potions. Snape barely looked at her table so she probably could talk to her partner but…

"…Are you even listening Proe?"

Elaina snapped out of her daze and looked at her partner. She grimaced. Her partner scowled getting his answer from her silence.

"I'll get the ingredients, you set up." Elaina didn't answer, she just got busy setting up the cauldron and all the other non-ingredients they needed. With no sign of her partner's return Elaina leaned over her book and began to read the potion recipe. She grimaced. She truly hated Potions. She wasn't bad at the subject; she just couldn't stand it. Elaina caught movement out of the corner of her eye.

"Marvol, remind me again why I get the great pleasure of working with you?" Marvol began putting down the ingredients.

"If you don't wish to work with me you should learn not to be late to class," Marvol began counting out the horned slugs and porcupine quills.

Elaina rolled her eyes and began crushing the snake fangs.

"Hey, I usually am on time, but someone decided it would be fun to shred my three foot long homework assignment for transfiguration."

Elaina, content with the crushed fangs, moved to dump the dust into the cauldron only to see the cauldron already on and Marvol about to add the porcupine quills.

"What do you think you are doing? We're making the Cure for Boils, not the 'Let's-kill-ourselves-and-everybody-around-us' potion!" Elaina hissed.

"I just thought that if the quills went in first the potion would be more potent." Marvol had an impossibly innocent expression on his face. It did not suit him.

"Yeah? Well it probably won't, now if you would kindly hold off on the quills." Elaina held the crushed fangs over the cauldron. Suddenly a hand shot up and encircled her fist preventing her from releasing the powder. Elaina glared at Marvol.

"Marvol, let go of my hand." Marvol's expression narrowed.

"We are putting the quills in first." Marvol's expression could just about kill if there was disagreement. Elaina returned the expression.

"No, we are not, we are following the book."

"No, we are adding the quills first."

"Fangs!"

"Quills!"

"Fangs!"

"Quills!"

"Is there a problem here Miss Proe?" The two stopped arguing and looked in front of them to see the Potions master standing right there with a suspicious glare directed right at them, well more specifically Elaina since **she** wasn't the Slytherin student. Elaina could almost swear that she had seen Snape throw a hesitant glance at Marvol but it was so quick that she dismissed it.

"Of course not Professor," Elaina smiled. "M-Tom here was just having some difficulty figuring out which ingredient goes in first."

Elaina just barely managed to shoot her hand up in time to catch Marvol's fist before he released the quills into the mixture. Elaina flinched from the overwhelming anger she was feeling radiating off both Snape and Marvol. Snape intensified his glare causing Elaina's mind to go momentarily blank and her grip on Marvol to loosen.

Snape moved his gaze to the cauldron scrutinizing the contents. All of her thought processes returned to her and it was only when she raised her hand to her forehead that she realized that she was no longer restraining Marvol's hand.

Time slowed as Elaina watched as Marvol's hand with the quills drew nearer and nearer to the cauldron. Snape appeared to have no recognition of the approaching quills.

"No don't!" Elaina's hands shot out.

* * *

><p>"I can't…did you…see...AHAHAHAHAAAAA!"<p>

Elaina's eye twitched as Peter's nonstop laughing.

"…It was so… HA-HA…green…but your…HA-HA…so great! HA-HA." Peter held his face with his left hand as he nearly doubled over in laughter.

Elaina veered right as she tried to hold her boiling anger down.

"And then…"

"SILENCIO!"

Elaina smiled as she took in the relative silence of the hallway. Thoughts began to return to her mind and she was once again calm. Grudgingly she removed the spell from Longhaven.

"What was that for?" Peter demanded.

"Your incessantly jabbering mouth is what that was for."

"Now that was rather insulting, I do not jabber incessantly."

Elaina froze. Slowly she turned, wand at the ready, to glare at the intruder.

Marvol stood only a few fee away flanked by Blake and Malley. A smirk was etched across his face although his eyes were still as emotional as a rock.

"I wasn't really talking to you Marvol?" Elaina snapped.

"Really, I could have sworn I had heard my name in there?" Marvol's smirk had only grown at that point.

"Beat it Marvol and while you are at it get your hearing checked." Elaina spun around ready to reach the hospital wing to see if something could be done about her hair.

"Hold it Proe!" Marvol's voice was sharp, void of the amusement it had held before.

Elaina stopped but did not answer.

"What, are you too proud and rude to respond Proe?" Elaina clenched her fists sending a fresh wave of pain shooting up her arms.

"If anyone here is too proud Marvol it is you!" Peter snapped coming to the rescue.

"Was he asking you mudblood?" Malley demanded.

"Does it really matter?" Peter readied himself to attack.

"Why you…"

"What do you want Marvol?"

"I've just come to tell you that we have a detention to go to."

"I know we have a detention Marvol, you were the one who blew up a cauldron." Elaina wished she knew why Marvol looked so smug. It wasn't like he had won the upper hand.

"Perhaps I should be clearer. We have detention now." Elaina felt disgruntled as Marvol looked proud of whatever he thought he had accomplished.

"What do you mean now? I haven't even been to the hospital wing yet, let alone have the time to wash this black gunk off." Even then Marvol's face looked triumphant.

"I don't assign the detentions Proe." Elaina fumed at Marvol's condescending manner with which he addressed her. She opened her mouth to retort but she was beaten to the punch.

"Marvol cut out your condescending attitude already. It was not Elaina's fault that she was caught in a potions explosion." Peter cut in wand ready to hex the slytherins. The two flanking Slytherins stepped forward with their own wands drawn.

"Are you suggesting that it is **my** fault that Proe is currently missing her eyebrows and patches of her hair, not to mention a couple of nasty burns?" Marvol actually appeared to be hurt. Elaina was actually impressed by his acting skills.

"It **is** your-."

"Peter stop." Elaina stepped around Peter feeling dread and annoyance as she stepped between him and Marvol.

"Where is detention Marvol?"

* * *

><p>The hallways were silent, void of the normal hustle and bustle created by the students. Occasionally a dulled noise would creep into the hallways as doors were passed.<p>

Elaina looked around glancing at the portraits whispering to each other and at the staircases as they twisted, turned and moved around. Hogwarts was truly special and Elaina would give anything to go and explore every nook and cranny of the building. Smiling Elaina thought to herself that she may have to do so the next time she got the chance, that is if she got the chance, Snape could be peeved enough to continue piling detentions on.

Elaina shook her head and stared at Marvol's back. He hadn't said a word since they had left Peter and the two cronies and Elaina was starting to worry.

"Marvol where are we going?"

No answer. Elaina sighed playing with her torn robe sleeve. She waited, still no answer.

"I can't believe you needed your two cronies to come find me!"

"Blake and Malley are not my 'cronies'," Marvol didn't even turn his head as he spoke. He just continued to walk straight. "They are my…f-friends."

Elaina's eyes narrowed, she had noticed Marvol's hesitation.

"Maybe you three should see a teacher or another student for advice if you three are having difficulties with your friendship." Elaina came to a halt barely in time to avoid crashing into Marvol.

"Excuse me?" Cold fury dripped lethally from Marvol's voice convincing Elaina to step back. When she responded she only stuttered once.

"Y-You know, kind of like Marriage Counseling when a couple goes in to a Professional for guidance to try…and…fix whatever the…problem is…"

Elaina's voice began to falter as Marvol turned directing his harsh glare toward her.

"Are you saying that I need to go to some muggle 'professional'?"

"I am not saying go to a muggle professional, I am saying that maybe you should seek advice from one of our Professors!"

At that moment Elaina couldn't decide who was scarier, Marvol or Professor Snape when you screwed up a potion. But Marvol didn't say anything, he didn't really need to. All around him his magic crackled and exploded thickening the air to a suffocating strength. Although it was invisible to the naked eye Elaina could feel its intensity as it swirled around them gripping her, threatening her if she made Marvol any angrier.

Suddenly Marvol's eyes darkened and his face became more distorted. His uncontrolled magic grew heavier and took a firm hold around Elaina's neck even as it crackled in the air. Elaina gasped for air clawing at her throat, it felt as if she was 1,000 miles under water and was being dragged even further into the depths. Then as quickly as it had began the rampant magic disappeared. Marvol's face was back to its emotionless self.

Elaina stood slumped trying to breathe in as much air as possible, her hand around her throat.

"Marriage Counseling…" Elaina looked up wide eyed at Marvol. "Muggles are such indecisive beings. If they get married they should be sure that they want to marry and spend the **rest** **of their lives** with their partner."

"Some people…change." Elaina began to straighten herself up as she spoke.

"So?" Marvol demanded taking in a snotty mocking tone. "Isn't marriage supposed to be about learning to live with one another and working together to solve life's endless problems? Besides, if I were to get married whoever I chose would not be given the option of divorce."

"Gee Marvol, I would almost peg you for the romantic type," Elaina spoke in her happiest girl voice but then dropped it. "It is too bad I know you better than that."

In an instant, faster than she ever thought possible, the air around the two students thickened with Marvol's dark magic and the magic once again began to suffocate Elaina. However this time the suffocation was harder. Elaina couldn't breathe and she was sure she would soon pass out. Elaina panicking looked at Marvol pleadingly and froze. Red met blue. Ice cold fear washed through her veins. Black spots began dancing in her vision as her lungs burned and screamed for air, but the magic was unrelenting. Finally the magic disappeared and Elaina was allowed to drop to the floor gasping for hair.

"Love is for fools," Marvol spat. "Love makes a person weak, it clouds their judgment."

Marvol spun around, his robes billowing out as he did so and strode away leaving Elaina crouched on the stone floor panting.

Elaina stared after Marvol.

"Just who, or what, are you Marvol?"

* * *

><p>"OH! Ohhh…! OHHHHHHHH!"<p>

Elaina covered her ears from the very loud and high pitched screeching. She gritted her teeth glancing at the open stall door before staring back at the toilet in front of her.

"If that ghost doesn't stop wailing I'm never going to get this dumb toilet cleaned," Elaina muttered.

Elaina and Marvol for their detentions had been assigned the tasks of cleaning the second floor bathrooms, although Elaina didn't really see the point in cleaning the girls' bathroom, no one used it anymore.

"Ohhh…! Ehh…OHHHH…!"

Elaina had been in the bathroom for twenty long minutes and she wasn't even close to getting the stall done.

"OHHH…" If possible the moaning and sobbing intensified. Elaina couldn't stand it. Furious Elaina shot up to her feet and moved to stand in the stall doorway.

"OH WILL YOU SHUT UP MYRTLE!" Elaina glared at the ghost drifting back and forth up near the ceiling. "I CAN'T CONCENTRATE!"

All at once the wailing stopped and Elaina was thrown back in shock from the sudden proximity of Myrtle's pudgy transparent face.

"YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS HERE IF I WAS ABLE TO SIT IN MY U-BEND! SO NO I WON'T1"

Elaina pushed herself from the wall and advanced upon the ghost.

"Hey your toilet would be done by now if it wasn't for your screeching!" Elaina screamed back. Myrtle began floating backwards although her glare never eased. "So if you want to be back in your precious little u-bend, then I suggest you suck it up and put a cork in it!"

Myrtle didn't respond at first. Then she turned and began to moan. At least this time it was slightly softer.

Elaina huffed and turned back to the toilet. Quickly she picked up the toilet brush and began scrubbing the inside of the bowl.

"Stupid Myrtle," Elaina muttered. "Stupid Marvol for getting me in trouble and stupid Snape for taking my wand."

Satisfied, Elaina pulled the brush out of the toilet but it was suddenly pulled back into the toilet.

"Moaning, moping, pimply MYRTLE they call me, well, I'll show them what happens when they make fun of me!"

Realization dawned on Elaina.

"Really Myrtle, just when I'm about to clean the exterior of the toilet, the last bit of cleaning to do in the stall, and you now you decide to act up?"

"Well they should think twice about making fun of me!"

Elaina readjusted the positioning of her feet and pulled harder. "Myrtle, I have never made fun of you!"

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT! BUT YOU WILL, THEY ALL DO EVENTUALLY!"

Myrtle let go in an instant sending Elaina crashing down. Her head slammed into the corner of the stall. The brush clattered to the floor.

"Ow!" Elaina propped herself up with her right arm and rubbed the back of her head. "Ow…"

Elaina opened her eyes and paused. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted what looked like a cauldron.

"What the...?" Elaina scrambled to her feet and swiftly walked a few stalls down from where she was cleaning and tried opening the door of that stall. It wouldn't budge.

"Great, what a marvelous time to be wandless." Elaina grimaced and stared at the door. Then she looked down and smiled.

"Well, nothing is impenetrable."

Lowering herself down to her stomach Elaina pulled her self under and into the stall. Carefully, so not to knock over the cauldron, Elaina brought herself to her feet. Keeping her back against the wall Elaina looked at the contents of the cauldron. What she saw was incredibly disgusting. The thick boiling grey liquid made her want to hurl.

"Oh, sweet mercy that looks disgusting." Elaina held her stomach.

A loud thud echoed within the bathroom causing Elaina to jump. Feeling panicked, Elaina stepped over the cauldron and quickly clamored onto the toilet seat and slowly turned herself around to face the stall door.

The soft tapping of feet filled the bathroom. As the tapping became louder and clearer Elaina's heart began to race faster and faster. At any moment that door could be flung open and Elaina would be discovered, dragged out of the stall, and after that who knows what. Despite her common sense telling her that whoever it was could just be the culprit behind the potion, her mind feared the worst.

The tapping stopped. Elaina looked downward. From underneath the stall door she could see a shadow. After a few minutes had passed Elaina figured that it wasn't Snape on his bathroom check since the person hadn't said a word nor had he or she cast a spell.

"No…what…I…"

Elaina felt confused. Whoever the girl was she was obviously confused herself. But no other words were spoken by whoever she was. Moments later the soft tapping returned and the shadow moved away from Elaina's current stall. Yet Elaina did not feel any calmer. Whoever the girl was she was moving toward Myrtle's stall where the cleaning supplies were still sitting. Any sane person who saw the supplies would know that there was probably someone else in the bathroom. She wasn't home free yet.

Then there came a strange noise, almost like a hissing slur of gibberish. Oddly enough the hissing sounded deep, much deeper than any girl could possible dream of speaking. Suddenly, like a great rusty gear just starting to move after years of disuse, a loud scraping sound echoed through the bathroom. Within seconds of it starting the scraping turned to screeching. Without thinking Elaina tore her hands from the stall's walls and covered her ears. It didn't help.

Her feet began to shake struggling to keep Elaina balanced on the toilet seat. With a plunk her right foot fell into the toilet water and the water began to seep into her shoe and sock. Elaina held her breath waiting for the intruder to fling open the stall door and catch her there, but no one came. Elaina barely even registered that the strange screeching and grinding noises were gone.

There was one soft tap and then there was nothing. Nothing but Elaina's racing heartbeat. Elaina stared at the stall door waiting. Nothing happened.

Elaina shut her eyes and took a deep breath in calming herself. Slowly she opened her eyes to be met by a smug and slightly disoriented looking Myrtle a foot from her face. Elaina jumped.

"Myrtle…" Elaina ground out but it only seemed to make Myrtle uneasy smile grow.

"I wouldn't go out there if I were you," Myrtle whispered tauntingly. Immediately Myrtle shot up into the air and dived into the toilet bowl. Elaina only just moved her foot out in time. Seconds later Elaina was graced with the sound of Myrtle's moaning.

Elaina cautiously stepped off of the toilet and around the cauldron. Once around the boiling put of illegal activity she carefully lowered herself to the ground and pulled herself out of the stall.

Elaina scanned the bathroom and stopped her gaze on the sink across from Myrtle's stall. There where the sink should have been was a gaping hole in the wall, the sink no where to be seen. She began to get a sinking feeling.

"I hate detention." Elaina grimaced as she walked to stand in front of the hole. Although upon further inspection it wasn't so much a hole as it was a giant pipe. Clearly there was a reason why that sink had never worked.

"To jump in or not to jump in," Elaina mused. "That is the question."

Elaina peered into the tunnel, but could see nothing through the pitch black. She glanced back at the bathroom that wasn't even close to being halfway clean. She stared back into the darkness.

"To jump in it is then." Elaina climbed into the hole and sat down. She forced her stomach to ease. With only a moments hesitation she shoved off going flying through the pipes. Behind her she heard the telltale sound of the sink grinding back into place. Down Elaina went left, right, down a steeper decline, until finally she was sent through the air to land on the wet, and slightly crunchy, ground.

"Ow!" Elaina pushed herself to her feet rubbing her bottom. "Merlin, where am I?"

Elaina squinted and scanned for any sign of where she was, but it was useless, it was so dark out that it was almost as if she was blind. She did not enjoy the feeling.

'_Now what do I do?' _Elaina thought. _'…Well I am __**not**__ waiting for whoever else is down here to surprise me.'_

Elaina stuck out her hands and moved them around trying to find a wall. There were none near her so she began to move forward. Theoretically, she should eventually hit a wall if she continued moving forward. Although her vision became slightly more adjusted to the darkness it did not truly help her in any way.

Elaina caught a scent and stopped to pinch her nose.

"Yuck! What is that horrible smell? Smells like a thousand rotten eggs stuffed in a thousand dirty socks!"

She used her momentary pause to reconsider her strategy.

'_Maybe if I'm not running into a wall going this direction the wall is closer to my right or left.'_ She thought.

Quickly she readjusted her hands so they were sticking out to her side and she began to move to her right. Moments later, much quicker than she had thought, her right hand contacted with something hard, cold and slimy. It was stone. Excitement filled Elaina. Her left hand flew to the wall to aide her right in feeling the wall. The excitement dulled though when she remembered that she had no idea where she was and she didn't know what was down here. Furthermore she was-in all likelihood-probably stuck down here.

Elaina scanned in front of her for even the tiniest sliver of light. There was none.

"Darn it, why am I the unlucky soul to get stuck under Hogwarts with no wand?" Elaina muttered to herself. "Why couldn't it have been Marvol?"

Elaina shook herself of her cursing and began to move forward along the wall. To keep her mind occupied Elaina began listing off likely places in which she could be. Her first guess was the Chamber of Secrets, but she figured that a sink that never worked was too easy for someone to investigate. She pushed it aside. Many of the following ideas were either ludicrous or too good to be true. One of them included the founders tomb, but that was filed under the too good to be true category.

Elaina stopped her train of thoughts. Her left hand had felt a turn in the wall. Excitement once again flowed through Elaina's veins as she frantically felt the corner with both her hands. It was an actual corner! Elaina turned with the corner and continued to feel along the wall.

After what must have only been half a foot of uneven rock Elaina felt a sudden change in the wall's texture. The wall here was smoother and felt like it was carved. Elaina stepped back a few feet and looked at the wall. It was then that she saw the two small, glowing green ovals and a thin sliver of green light shining through a crack right of the ovals.

Before she went to investigate the sliver Elaina observed the glowing green orbs. They were kind of creepy and they kind of reminded her of a pair of eyes. Elaina quickly choked down the shiver of fear running through her body and began inching towards the crack. She felt along the area around the sliver of green and found an opening. Elaina pushed her fingers into the opening and began to pull. With a fairly loud screech the door opened revealing a large room lighted with green flames. Elaina was amazed; the size of the chamber greatly resembled the size of the Great Hall although it looked nothing like the Great Hall aside from that. Slowly she climbed through the circular opening and entered the spectacular chamber.

On each side of the chamber stood gigantic pillars that held the chamber up, they were designed with ornate snakes wrapped around each one. Along the walls were small canals of water leading up to the back of the chamber where there appeared to be a pond. Even more amazing then that was the fact that the chamber appeared to be made of either a shiny black material or a beautiful jade material. Green accents were everywhere making the chamber look elegant yet dark at the same time. But as Elaina moved closer to the back of the chamber her excitement vanished. She began to put together the pieces. There stood a statue-as high as the chamber and as wide as an elephant-of a man dressed in an elegant robe. The statue's face depicted a thin face with high cheek bones and a long scraggly hair and beard. From Elaina's point of view the hair looked kind of curly, but it was hard to tell the statue being made of stone.

Elaina alternated her gaze from statue to the pillars, back and forth until all the pieces clicked together. She paled.

"Shit."

Elaina began to back up; fear gripping her body.

"Oh someone please save me."

She knew where she was. There was really only one place she could have been and she had been a fool to have thought she was anywhere else.

Plunk. Elaina froze. That wasn't her. She brought her arm up to grab her wand, but then remembered she didn't have it with her. She decided to face whatever, or whoever, it was and slowly she turned around. Before she could even catch sight of who the stranger was she was encompassed in an extremely bright lavender light. Then nothing as she was sent into darkness and her body hit the ground.

* * *

><p><em>Elaina was in Hogwarts, running frantically through the hallways. Left and right, up and down and over that hole in the floor she went never stopping. She heard no one behind her but she knew that someone was following. She had to run. Her heart pounded every time her feet pounded against the ground. Every time she turned a corner she expected to see her pursuer but each time there was no face.<em>

_At last Elaina could see the staircases. She could feel relief wash through her system as she came to the bottom of the stairs. Subconsciously she wished she could understand why the staircases had such an effect. _

_Elaina rushed up the stairs, taking steps two by two. Something was wrong though and Elaina had trouble pinpointing what it was. It eventually struck her that the stairs weren't moving. _

'_Why am I not worried about that?' Elaina thought._

_She hurried up the steps not even close to being out of breath. But no matter how fast she went the stairs just weren't coming to an end. In the back of her mind a little voice told her that this wasn't possible and she was already higher than the astronomy tower-the highest point in Hogwarts. Elaina ignored the voice and kept going until she finally reached a landing. She shot off of the last step and stopped on the landing. _

_There was no place left to run except back down. The landing was square with railing on all sides. The only thing of vague importance was an ivory podium with golden leafy vines wrapped around the stand. On top of the podium was a golden statue that seemed to melt into the podium. At the base of the statue, coming out of the gold, was a lion and a badger on opposite side of the statue. Above those two creatures was a snake wrapped around the statue and its head sticking out to the side from the back. Coming out of the statue in front was what looked to be an eagle with its wings spread wide. Each of those four animals was on a different side. The badger was on the left, the lion on the right, the eagle up front and the snake was in the back. But above them all, right in the middle, rose a great dragon with its wings spread out. Although the statue was immobile it commanded attention._

_Elaina just stood there transfixed. She forgot what she was even doing there._

"_Crucio."_

_Elaina jerked letting out a loud scream. The pain was unlike any she had ever felt. Every bone, organ and nerve felt as though they were either on fire or being electrocuted. Elaina collapsed on the ground and writhed in agony. Her voice was belching out in terrible screams. She tried to control the pain but the pain only increased in response. _

_Occasionally Elaina found herself able to force words out of her mouth and she took advantage of those moments in hopes of someone coming to her aid._

"_Help!" She cried._

_It was just about the only word she could force out of her mouth._

"_Help."_

_Through the pain she began to hear voices._

"_**The poor dear…and there is nothing we can do?"**_

"_**Not at the moment I'm afraid. This type of curse is well above my abilities to heal. I've never seen anything like it!"**_

"_**Perhaps it would be best if the girl was sent to St. Mungos?"**_

"_**I've already checked there Severus, they said they would take her but it was unlikely that there was anything they could do. They said they would try but it could be very likely that there would be no cure anytime soon without knowledge of what the spell was exactly."**_

_Pain suddenly consumed Elaina and she screamed even louder drowning out the voices. When the pain lessened was when she could once again hear the voices._

"…_**sure. Francis was here and looked at the poor girl over. She said that none of the staff including her would know what to do. She said that based off the symptoms she had an idea about what had hit the girl, but the curse has been lost for ages and has since been labeled a myth. She said that we were probably lucky that we had managed to find a medwitch who even remembered the myth. Apparently the myth has been fading into oblivion."**_

"_HELP ME! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!"_

"_**So there is nothing that we can do?"**_

"_**Nothing but wait for the girl to wake up, unless you all decide to try and figure out a cure in whatever spare time you may have."**_

_All at once the pain stopped leaving behind a torturous soreness in Elaina's muscles and nerves._

_Gasping for breath, Elaina tried pushing herself up but only collapsed as a result. She looked as far up as possible to look at the pedestal._

'_Such a strange pedestal that is," Elaina thought. 'Those animals seem kind of familiar too…'_

_Elaina gave up on trying to recognize the animals and retreated into her mind out of pure exhaustion._

"_**This is greatly troubling. To have a student attacked in such a horrible way…"**_

"_**And so different from the other attacks."**_

"_**Alas, we have no choice but to wait for her to awaken and perhaps she will be able to help us uncover the key to this great mystery…strange things dreams are…some consider dreams to be the doorways to a person's subconscious and memories."**_

"_Crucio!"_

_Pain flooded Elaina's senses and she jolted up._

Elaina jolted up screaming shocking the other people in the room.

"Oh dear…It's aright dear, you're awake now," warm, thin hands pushed down on Elaina's shoulders trying to get her to lie down. Elaina held fast. "It was only a dream!

"A dream…" Elaina could feel her body shaking and her heart racing as her mind calmed.

"Yes dear, a dream. You are in no real danger." The soft voice assured.

"This is one strange dream. It feels so real, the way my fingers bend, the rapid beating of my heart…everything." Elaina turned her head left and right only by a couple of inches. Her eyes felt as thought they were unnaturally wide open.

"Dear, this isn't a dream right now. You are **awake**!"

Elaina stayed silent.

Meanwhile the other five in the room shared a look. Snape observed Elaina taking in her appearance. He had seen that kind of look of pain and pure terror numerous times before.

"Miss Proe," Professor Flitwick stepped forward uncertainly as if he wasn't sure how to handle the situation.

Elaina brought her face up and pointed it toward where she thought Flitwick had spoken from.

"I feel awake and it feels real but…" Elaina trailed off. She was not getting a good feeling. Instead it felt like a black hole had sucked up her entire insides.

"Miss Proe do you remember anything about your attacker?"

Elaina recognized the soft, aged voice but she hesitated in answering.

"It's all black."

"Do you remember anything at all Miss Proe?" That voice was Professor McGonagall.

"No, not really…" Elaina brought her hand up in front of her face and waved it. "I remember a cauldron and an explosion…"

"Yes, perhaps next time you and your partner should try following instructions Miss Proe."

"Noted Professor Snape. Professor why is every thing black?"

"So you don't remember anything after Potions," Professor Dumbledore asked?

"No sir, I barely even remember Potions," Elaina began to feel panicky. "Sir, why is it that all I can see is black?"

Flitwick was the one to finally answer her questions.

"Miss Proe, I regret to inform you that you are blind."

* * *

><p>"Darn this accursed stick…" Elaina slammed the white pole she had been given into the wall to her right. "I would have thought that being a magical community someone would have invented a better way for blind people to move around!"<p>

"Hey Elaina," Someone called out! "Wait up!"

Elaina stopped.

"What do you want Peter?" She snapped.

"Ouch, that was harsh."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, I have been trying to catch up to you all day!" Peter exclaimed panting. "Man, for a recently blinded person you can move fast!"

"Now all that is left is to figure out how to navigate." They both smiled.

"So then you didn't mean to land in the dungeons?"

Elaina shook her head.

"Pity, I was kind of hoping you had some idea that a Slytherin had cursed you."

"Peter, I…"

"Don't remember who cursed you, I know," Peter finished scowling. "But, here's to hoping.

"I've been thinking Peter."

"A dangerous past time Elaina," Peter interrupted almost sounding serious.

Elaina smiled and shook her head before continuing.

"I've started to remember these bits and pieces of a dream I had while I was knocked out." The cane back against the floor, Elaina moved it around. Merlin she hated the cane. "Piece really, but it's of this statue…"

"Did it have animals," Peter asked? "And were they a badger, a lion, a snake and an eagle?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Elaina turned around and ran her cane across the floor. She hit Peter's foot.

"Lately you have taken to talking in your sleep. Rather like the Hogwarts house mascots don't you think?"

Elaina chose to ignore part of her friend's statement.

"Yes, but there was a fifth creature," Peter looked genuinely shocked at the revelation, although Elaina couldn't tell. "It was a dragon. It was at the very top."

"Strange…" Peter scratched his head. "I don't recall there being a founder associated with dragons."

"…I don't think there was Peter." Elaina shook her head. "But the thing is that the statue seemed so real."

"Some dreams often do E."

"I know but this statue, podium, it wasn't like everything else in the dream." Elaina began to pace. "Everything else had the blending-in-dream feel to them, but this statue seemed like it was radiating this magic to make it feel real. Peter something is telling me that that statue exists somewhere in this castle.

"Great…not only were you blinded but you were also crazed." Elaina tensed feeling extremely insulted at Longhaven's exclamation. "Elaina it would take hours to search this castle, and even then we may not even find anything because this statue, could…oh I don't know…**not exist**!"

"But Peter, I feel like I _need_ to find that statue." Elaina turned around to pace the other direction.

"No, you **want** to find a statue you dreamed up."

"No, I need to find that statue." Elaina changed direction again.

"No you are delusional, and need to see Madame Pomphrey."

"I am not delusional! I can't believe you would accuse me of such a thing! But I need to find that statue."

"No- was that door there before?"

"I'd assume so; I don't believe doors randomly appear out of nowhere."

Elaina stuck her cane out to try and find the door. She found it and walked closer to find out where it led.

"It probably just leads to some empty classroom."

"I don't think it was there before."

"No wait! Maybe it is a used classroom!" Elaina gasped dramatically as she grasped the door and pushed it open. Quickly she walked through it and stopped. Her cane tapped around.

"Stairs?"

Elaina wasn't going to stand there though and wonder where they led. She began to climb them. Up she went. The stairway never curved, they never dipped and they were never tricked out. At long last Elaina felt that she was on the top landing with no more stairs to climb.

"Peter are you okay?" She called out over her shoulder. She was met with silence. "Peter?"

She turned around, but no response came. Suddenly she felt a magic wash against her skin. It was coming from behind her.

Elaina turned around and walked farther on to the landing. After a minute her cane hit something solid. Elaina tapped her cane against the object. It was square at the bottom but round above that. She cautiously stepped closer to the object and began to feel the object with her hands. From the object, she felt for smaller objects coming out of the one object. Elaina began to feel suspicious. She moved her hands up the object and began to feel the soft curves of a fifth object of the entire object.

Suddenly Elaina felt a strong pulling sensation wash over her body. Her stomach flip-flopped as her body was pulled forward into what felt like oblivion. Then just as quickly as it had come over her it stopped.

"What was that?" She muttered as she ran her cane across the floor. "Wood flooring?"

Elaina began to walk forward and as quickly as she had discovered wood flooring she felt carpeting. Her confusion only grew. She knew that she was still in the castle due to the anti-apparition spells and all that jazz, but she wasn't aware of any place anywhere in the castle with hardwood flooring and a rug.

She continued forward trying to guess at where she was. A few times she bumped into tables and other times she bumped into chairs. Then there were the occasional marble statues, but she generally managed to hit those with her cane before she ran into them. After a while of what must have been her walking in circles, Elaina hit something that was much taller than tables and chairs and was closer to a wall.

She stuck her hand out and felt the 'wall', only it wasn't a wall, it was a bookcase filled to the brim-as far as she could tell-with books.

"Sal! Why didn't you tell us that there was someone in the room?" A loud feminine voice boomed.

Elaina jumped.

"There is someone in the room?" Another voice chimed in, this time it was male.

"That is strange." Another, different female.

"…Who's there?" Elaina called out over the mass of voices speaking out. The voices suddenly went quiet.

"Why, don't you know who we are Miss? I know I have seen you around Hogwarts before!" It was the first feminine voice that had startled Elaina. Elaina thought about how she should respond to that but she found someone else, who had not spoken up before, answering for her.

"She's blind Hellie."

"Blind! How do you know she's blind Sal?"

"Honestly Hellie, do you ever pay much attention, the girl's eyes are clouded over, and she's using some sort of cane to see ahead of her."

"Oh, I see now, thank you Roe. Oh and I do too pay attention." Hellie snapped.

"The clouds though appear to be unnatural." The first male voice she had heard said.

"What, is it laced with magic then Ric?" Roe chimed in.

"It would be dark magic if it is." Sal pointed out.

"Interesting, I wonder if it is _that_ spell." Roe stated.

"It has to be, it is the only one capable of doing that sort of damage to a person." Ric stated.

"Not unless another spell was invented with that sort of effect." Roe argued.

"Who would be crazy enough to create a second spell that could disable a witch or wizard's eyesight?" Hellie chimed in. "And will you two stop arguing you're making me hungry."

"Helli-"

Elaina was tired of hearing whoever they were arguing and she had had enough.

"WHO THE HECK ARE YOU PEOPLE?"

* * *

><p>"Peter, I need to ask a favor of you."<p>

* * *

><p>"While I do believe that a proper wizarding education is important to every witch, or wizard, and that Hogwarts has the means to teach every wizard, or witch, I don't see how Hogwarts can successfully teach a blind witch." Professor McGonagall announced wearily.<p>

"But Professor, you heard the Mediwitch, the cur-spell…that is believed to have hit Elaina is not a permanent infliction. It can be reversed!" Peter countered.

"While Longhaven makes an unusually valid point, he has _failed_ to mention how that _particular_ curse has been lost for centuries and along with it the counter spell." Snape brought up.

"That doesn't matter if we could find, or figure out—."

"Peter, I don't think you're helping." Elaina interrupted Peter before he could completely lose it. "Professor Dumbledore, what I am trying to say is I want to stay at Hogwarts and I know that by working very hard I can make it."

"Miss Proe, might I remind you that you are _blind_," Snape sounded annoyed and sarcastic but Elaina ignored the tone. "And if you were in my class you would _fail_, no sight would mean a disaster waiting to happen."

"Professor Snape I am fully aware of the fact that I am blind, it **is** kind of hard to forget." Elaina snapped.

"Miss Proe, I do understand your wish to stay at Hogwarts and I hate to see you go-especially under such circumstances- but I must agree with my colleagues that I don't see how we could successfully teach you the things we teach the other students." Professor Flitwick quipped. "St. Mungos may be the best option for you."

'_Understand my wish to stay at this school? I doubt it._' Elaina thought as she thought about her next words.

"What if…" Elaina started. The teachers in the room looked doubtfully upon her. "What if I told you that Peter and I-mainly Peter- have found a charm that could give me the next best thing to sight?"

"I'd say veritaserum is in order." Snape answered coolly.

"Nonsense, my dear friend, I'd say let the girl continue on if such a charm were to exist, and if not, why I would be reveling in the opportunity to teach this young witch all that I know so that she can survive in the wizarding world and maybe even become as famous as my self one day." Elaina had begun to wonder when he would speak up and she groaned. Imagine, an entire year under Lockhart's tutelage. She wanted to throw up.

'_I better succeed at winning my argument.'_ She thought. She waited.

"Miss Proe I am all for students learning new ways to deal with life's problems, but I don't think such a spell exists!" McGonagall stated.

Briefly Elaina wondered why Dumbledore hadn't spoken up yet. Quickly she shook her mind from that thought and moved on.

"But it does exist! Well, traditionally it has only been used as the magical-more detailed- version of muggle radar, when wizards need to locate something far away or close by, but Peter and I have discovered that it is able to function as a pair of substitute eyes for me!"

"Are you talking about the _animadverto denuo_ spell by any chance Miss Proe?" Dumbledore finally spoke up.

"I am sir."

"And you say that it is successfully acting as your back-up sight?"

"Yes sir."

"It is truly marvelous what students may find within Hogwarts. Lemon drop Miss Proe?"

"Um…no thank you Professor."

"While it is…_miraculous_ and…wonderful that Miss Proe here has seemingly found a way to work around her dilemma, I am still not convinced that she will be able to keep up in the class room."

"Oh, cheer up Severus, the dear has obviously found a way that works for her; I don't see any reason for us to deny her the education she so obviously wants!" Lockhart cheered.

Elaina could only imagine the scowl on Snape's face.

"Get. Your. Hands. Off." Snape ground out.

Elaina smiled before intervening.

"I realize that even with the animadverto spell that I will be handicapped in certain aspects that are common in the classroom-such as, note taking, potions, and reading- and as such Peter has agreed to help me in those aspects."

"Not to mention that we will probably be able to enlist help from other students to help in Elaina's studies." Peter added.

"That is all fine and dandy Mr. Longhaven, but-." Professor McGonagall began to speak. Elaina interrupted her before she could speak.

"I would also wish to point out that by helping me by reading, making potions, and writing for me, those who help me, namely Peter, would also benefit by reviewing the material taught in class constantly."

"While Mr. Longhaven could use all the help he could get in Potions, I am still not-," Snape began. This time Dumbledore interrupted him.

"It appears that everything is in order on Miss Proe and Mr. Longhaven's side, now if we all were to agree to try this plan of action I would say we have reached an agreement."

"Very well...but if there is even the tiniest hint that it is failing…" Shockingly Snape was the first Professor to respond.

"…Well I don't see why not, although I hardly see the point with all these attacks going on…" McGonagall announced.

"I guess I can figure something out for Miss Proe to do in my class, I hate to see a student get out of working on something as rare as a Mandrake, but it may be best that we be safe," Professor Sprout conceded.

"So glad to see you stay Miss. Proe, truly I am," Professor Flitwick took Elaina's hand and shook it making her smile from the warm welcome.

"Well of course you have **my** vote! I would-." Professor Dumbledore interrupted Lockhart before he could continue.

"Then the ayes have it, Miss Elaina Proe will be allowed to remain at Hogwarts."

* * *

><p>"No that's not what I said at all Peter!" Elaina groaned. It had been a couple of weeks since she had convinced the Heads to allow her to stay at Hogwarts and not once had the system appeared to show signs of possibly failing. It only figured that it was the final homework essay they had left to complete over the holiday break that problems began to arise.<p>

"I am sorry Elaina but could we take a break, until, like the end of the Holiday break maybe?" Peter pleaded. "I mean really, break hasn't even begun and we have every homework assignment we were assigned for break, save the last one for both of us, done! I don't think I even remember what food tastes like!"

Elaina shook her head and thought about it.

"Fine, we'll take a break and go down for dinner and whatever else you want to do. I have been working you to the bone and I am sorry for that. But how about we pick it up again tomorrow and once we finish we will have the entire break to do whatever we please without having to worry about catching up on the homework that we put off." Elaina saw through her spell Peter's lips lifting into a bright smile.

"Yes! I will totally agree to that!" He shot up to his feet and grabbed hold of Elaina's arm dragging her up to her feet as well. "Come on, if we hurry now we may only be a minute late!"

"And by 'only be a minute late' you mean…?" But Peter's mind was already lost upon the thought of the food waiting down in the great hall for them. Before Elaina could really tell they were already speeding down the Ravenclaw staircase and down the moving staircases.

Elaina was panting by the time she and Peter arrived at the Great Hall, so she let Peter move on ahead to throw open the doors for the two of them. Unfortunately, he was stopped in his tracks, with his hands on the handles, by the arrival of seven others.

"Well if it isn't the batty wonder and her large mutt."

"It's a _wonder_ why she's even still here."

"Yes, how is it Proe, that even though you are blind you have been allowed to remain at school?"

"I have simply managed to find a way around that particular obstacle Pu-_Pansy_." Elaina scowled.

"Now, now Proe, I hardly think we are even close to being on first name basis." Pansy smirked and tipped her head in a snappish way.

"But Parkinson, if I were to use your last name, I would not be able to call you Pugsy." Elaina sweetened her voice and smiled.

"Why you…!" Pansy clumsily pulled out her wand and pointed it at Elaina. Peter was quick to pull his own out and step away from the door. "You will pay for that mudblood!"

Elaina calmed herself as she answered. "Now Parkinson, let us think for a moment. Currently we are in front of the Great Hall, where all either Peter, I or one of the ghosts floating about, have to do is throw open those doors and say; 'Pansy Parkinson attacked Elaina Proe'. At which point the vast majority of the students, and all of the teachers, will realize that Pansy Parkinson has attacked the recently blinded and seemingly defenseless girl."

Parkinson hesitated and appeared to shiver. Elaina waited a few moments to allow the realization sink in before continuing.

"So if I were you I would lower that wand and high tail it to where ever I was going."

Parkinson remained hesitant, but Elaina didn't have to say anything else.

"Come on Pansy, it's not worth it." One of the other two girls spoke up putting her hand on Parkinson's shoulder.

"She's just a filthy mudblood, you can get her later." That voice Elaina recognized, Druella Rose.

Parkinson began to lower her wand. Peter waited a bit before lowering his as well, although his remained in his hand.

"Come on let's get dinner," the unknown girl said.

"Yeah, maybe there's even an empty seat by Draco." Druella gushed.

"Yeah…" The third girl sighed. Elaina wanted to puke, but was feeling too relieved to see the three leave to actually do it.

Elaina relaxed, but it was short lived.

"And here I thought that all Ravenclaws were good for were reading books and doing homework."

"Why is it that the moment that those three step out of the picture you step in Strange?" Peter groaned. "Why didn't you step in to help the three girl-pests? It is not very chivalrous of you, you know."

"That's funny, I got the impression that the guys of this tim-ow!" Strange rubbed his arm while he glared at the blonde to his left. "What was that for?"

Malley didn't answer; instead, he continued to glare at Strange trying to convey some sort of message.

"Abraxas I don't know what that look means-." This time Malley whipped out his wand and silenced Strange. Elaina smirked but turned her attention to the other two.

"Well?" She asked suddenly feeling tense again.

"Impressive." Marvol stated.

Elaina felt like strangling him for his one-word-no-explanation answer, but she settled for the verbal response.

"And what, pray tell, is impressive?"

"You single handedly repelled a Slytherin girl who is out to get you without resorting to any violence. The only way that could have been better is if you had managed to do it without ticking her off."

"Why is that impressive Marvol?" Elaina pressed.

"Oh, it is, simply put, not something you generally see out of Ravenclaws."

"Yeah, Ravenclaws have tendency to fade into the background." Blake put in.

"You know Marvol, it is kind of insulting that you think that my entire house is only good for reading and doing homework."

"For the most part that is true Proe, but I would imagine that every once in awhile that status quo is challenged. Though, are you sure you were put into the right house? You may have done very well in Slytherin." Marvol and Blake began walking to the Great Hall doors. After a quick call out Strange and Malley were close behind them. Marvol let the other three go in ahead of him pausing with his hand holding the doors slightly open. "You know Proe; we were once on friendlier terms. It's a pity we aren't anymore."

"Not likely to happen Marvol," Elaina snapped. "I tend not to want to be friendly with people who earn me a months worth of detention."

She said it faster than she could think of what she was saying. But once it had been said, the memories of that Potions class flooded Elaina's mind; the quills, the argument, Snape, everything. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. When she reopened her eyes Marvol was already gone into the Great Hall.

"Well…" Peter started. "I'd say that went fairly well."

"Really, now why would you say that?" Elaina challenged.

"Well no one was cursed or anything, so that has to be a plus!" Peter smiled.

Elaina wand was up faster than Peter could blink creating a shield around the two Ravenclaws. A light colored spell slammed into the shield but was too weak to ever hope of breaking the barrier. The spell disappeared. Peter looked aghast.

"Mr. Longhaven, have you ever heard of timed spells?" Elaina smiled at Peter and buddied up to him as they began to walk toward the doors.

* * *

><p>Surprisingly enough a good portion of the rest of the year passed by quickly for Elaina. She and Peter were doing quite well in all of their classes and were already discussing what they might want to take the following year-that is if Hogwarts was still open then. The attacks were still going on and it looked as though there was not going to be a stop to them.<p>

Elaina and Peter both figured that the 'Golden Trio' of Gryffindor was working on locating the Chamber but hadn't yet. Elaina and Peter both had agreed that if it wasn't for Elaina's blindness and struggle to remember what had happened to her they would offer their help to the three. But as it was they were finding themselves too preoccupied trying to get all the homework done, prepare for exams, try and correct Elaina's vision problems, and try and regain the rest of her memories for them to do anything.

Since Elaina had regained her memories of the Potions class weeks had passed and it was finally concluded that someone must have altered her memories to prevent her from revealing where she had been. It was the fear of Elaina, Peter, and the teachers in the loop that she may have somehow stumbled upon that Chamber of Secrets itself. Unfortunately if that was true then the Heir of Slytherin must have been there also.

A loud clatter shocked Elaina out of her daydreaming. She extended her spell to find out whom or what had made the noise. It had been Hermione Granger standing up too fast and causing her chair to knock over. She was only four feet away.

'_When did she get there?'_ Elaina wondered. _'Oh well, it is no real surprise, I didn't really have my spell working for farther than two feet.'_

"Are you okay Hermione," Elaina asked.

"I…I…yes, I just…," Hermione stuttered as she struggled to find the right words. "I figured it out and I have got to go."

Almost immediately she began toward the library doors fishing through her bag for something.

Elaina watched her walk out of her radar for a few seconds before deciding she wasn't going to leave it at that. She quickly got up and followed Granger out of the library. Granger was only a few feet away talking hurriedly to some older girl that Elaina was not familiar with although she probably should be since it was a Ravenclaw prefect. She hurried over to the pair and heard the tail end of the conversation.

"…yes…it should be…right…here!" Hermione grabbed a small circular object out of the other student's hand.

"So, what's going on?" Elaina interrupted.

"He-Her-…" The older student stammered looking frozen.

"I just figured out what is in the Chamber of Secrets." Hermione stated. "It's a basilisk."

Elaina froze. Something had skimmed the edge of her radar. She extended her area of reach.

"Really? The giant serpent that can kill with only a look?"

"Yes, but it only petrifies if you look _indirectly_ at it. So mirrors like this one…" She waved the circle object around. "…Should at least prevent any deaths."

"That's great Hermione, but I don't think any mirrors are going to help me much." Elaina narrowed her eyes and glanced to her left. Something big had skimmed her radar again.

Hermione held the mirror out in front of the corner with the other student looking over her shoulder. An alarm bell went off in Elaina's mind.

"Wait don't!"

But it was too late. The two girls were already frozen. Shaking, Elaina cautiously stepped over to the two girls and touched them. They were cold. Elaina slowly stepped back. She needed to find a teacher or somebody, even Filch would do. Her radar began to pick something up again. But it wasn't skimming her area of reach this time. It was **in** her radar's reach this time.

Before her, towering high above her head was a giant snake with glowing red balls of mist where the eyes were. Elaina tried her best to ignore the red balls but the snake was slowly making it's way toward her and she was barely able to make herself step back an inch at a time.

Suddenly a strange hissing sound, deep, came from behind her. The basilisk's head jerked up and looked past Elaina. It began to hiss back.

The two hissing noises alternated as if the two creatures, or beings, were having a conversation. Elaina began to snap out of her daze and slowly she inched her wand out. She also began to expand her radar's range backwards to try and discover who was behind her. She only got far enough to see the extended wand pointed at her before she had to throw up a shield. The spells clashed and the offensive spell broke off. Elaina's shield went down.

The two casters began firing spell after spell at each other. Elaina found herself mainly on the defensive side throwing up shield after shield. Whoever she was fighting was talented and he/she was also beginning to use harder and harder spells as time went on.

'_Where the heck is Madame Pince?'_ Elaina thought. _'She's usually onto these types of things faster than one can blink._'

Her opponent cast his, or her, spell and Elaina reacted by instantly throwing a shield up. The spell hit her shield. The two spells lingered there as if time had stopped before finally, her shield broke proving too weak for the offensive spell. Elaina tried to move out of the way, but before she had even realized it her opponent had called out 'Petrificus Totalus!' and Elaina felt her limbs glued to her side and her body begin to fall. But the offensive spell from earlier hit her before she came even close to the ground and she was sent flying back and down to the ground.

As she lay there and felt herself go to sleep the only thing she could think of was;

'_When did that snake leave?'_

* * *

><p>Elaina groaned barely even recognizing that she was awake. She forced her heavy eyes open. Still pitch black. No shapes, no nothing. She could hear the birds, so it was still morning, so then she was still blind.<p>

"Oh thank god, you're awake!" Someone she recognized as Peter exclaimed. "One more day and they were going to send you to St. Mungos for sure!"

"Why were they going to send me to St. Mungos?" Elaina asked rubbing her eyes. She tried to remember what had happened.

"…You were in a coma for a week or two…maybe more… and you weren't really showing any signs of waking up soon." Peter answered. "You know Lena; you really should stop making so many trips to the hospital wing."

"I'll try and keep that in mind." Elaina answered bluntly. Slowly memories began to filter back into her mind.

"So…do you remember who attacked you, or is there another memory loss charm on you?" Peter asked deflating as he said the last couple of words.

"No…I don't think there's anything blocking my memory this time…it feels different than when I try and remember the attack that blinded me." Elaina remembering something cast out her radar. So she was indeed in the hospital wing and at the end of her bed and on her nightstand there stood a pile of knick-knacks and snacks. "Besides I am starting to remember the most recent incident. Who gave me all the stuff?"

"Gifts and various classmates of ours have been dropping them off. Quite a few of them I don't really recognize." Peter scratched his head. "Oh and I think you've gotten stuff from people from all four of the Hogwarts houses."

"Really." Elaina stated doubtfully. "Slytherin too?"

"Yeah, namely from Marvol and a couple of his cronies, but I think there is a magical snake in the can here from that Dorrier girl that you were friends with last year."

"…Peter did you open the snake in the can?"

Peter hesitated before finally admitting.

"…Yes… I thought they were those Berty Botts every flavor beans, or whatever they are called, but then this snake, this real living snake-cobra might I add- flew out of the box with its fangs barred! I was lucky to banish it with a flick of my wand before it dug its teeth into me!"

Elaina stared at him with disbelief written on her face.

"Fine, I was lucky Madame Pomphrey was there to banish the snake…but on the bright side, Dorrier got into huge trouble and Slytherin lost quite a few points for the act!"

"Great where does that put our house in the competition?"

"Well with the points that Dumbledore gave you for trying to fight off the attacker from Granger and Clearwater, that puts Ravenclaw in second place!"

"Not first? That's a shocker with all the points he gives the Golden trio for their acts of bravery."

"Well we actually were barely in first place for a while but then the remaining Golden Trio members figured the mystery out, found the Chamber, took care of the monster, and saved Ginny Weasley. Actually we are still in first place, but I expect that we will quickly lose that title at the feast tonight. Oh that reminds me! There's this giant feast planned for tonight to celebrate those petrified return, and I guess now you! I was going to skip it to wait to see if you would wake up, but now that you are awake… do you feel well enough to go down, we won't be too late to it if we go now."

Elaina could tell that Peter really wanted to attend. She grabbed her wand and paused.

"Yes, but one thing before we go. Who sent the flowers?"

"Well the tiger lilies are from your aunt and the black roses covered in glitter are from Marvol."

"Marvol sent flowers?"

"Actually he delivered them one of the times he visited." Peter stated suddenly looking lost in thought.

"He visited?" Elaina felt genuinely shocked.

"Yeah, I thought it was pretty weird…but you know what just occurred to me…those roses just bloomed."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that for the longest time they've been closed but just last night and this morning they began to open up. Now they're fully in bloom."

"Okay…" Elaina wasn't sure she knew where this was going.

"You know, that's kind of lucky! It's kind of like they opened just to celebrate your awakening!" Elaina suddenly felt a little sick to her stomach at Peter's words. "Anyway come on there's a feast just waiting for us!"

Elaina let Peter pull her out of bed and out of the hospital wing. She glanced down at herself afraid of what she was wearing. She was wearing a set of blue fleece pajamas.

"Uh…Peter?"

Peter glanced back and immediately made the connection.

"Oh! I managed to convince Dumbledore and McGonagall to transfigure your uniform into some pajamas when it looked like you were going to be there awhile. Don't worry no one saw anything."

Elaina felt relieved as he said that.

They came to a stop. A great rumbling of noise was coming out from behind the closed doors. They had arrived. Peter glanced at her.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked smiling.

"Ready for what exactly? We're just two boring old Ravenclaw second years? We'll be lucky if our own house takes their noses out of books or turn their attention away from whatever to acknowledge that we are there!"

Peter smiled knowing that she was probably joking a little bit, but also that she was also a little serious at the same time.

"I think you'd be surprised by how many people have taken notice of you Miss Elaina Proe."

Elaina took the moment as Peter pushed open the door and pulled her through to expand her radar range to span the entire Great Hall-minus the ceiling. The four tables looked to be finishing up their welcoming back of their petrified.

It didn't take long though for all the teachers and Dumbledore to notice Peter and her standing in the entrance. Elaina thought that Dumbledore was smiling but he was too far away to tell clearly.

Slowly students began to realize that Elaina had rejoined the student body and some began walking up to her, shaking her hand, hugging her and welcoming her back. Elaina was sure she didn't recognize many of them, so why were they shaking her hands and hugging her?

She looked toward Peter for an answer but he just shrugged before he was sucked off into the abyss that was the blur of students. She really wished she had her sight back. Eventually they were all called back to their seats and Elaina was able to sit down and enjoy the rest of the feast.

The rest of the feast went by quickly and was kind of a blur for her in her memories. From the announcement of the cancelled exams to the exuberant cheering of Lockhart's leaving to the expected Gryffindor win of the House cup, Elaina was lost in the enjoyment of the night. Then around three o'clock in the morning she was informed that she would not be able to continue at Hogwarts for the following years until her eyesight was fixed. Elaina was distraught at the news and Peter was greatly saddened, but she was pacified-she guessed-when she was told that they had already located a teacher willing to home school her. The classes started a week after she returned home.

Another little piece of good news that she received was that Dumbledore and one or two of the other Professors, and someone from St. Mungos would be visiting often and trying to help her regain her sight.

Finally the feast slowed to an end. Elaina felt tired and mellow and went off to sleep, but was then ordered back to the hospital wing so she could be observed over the night.

* * *

><p>The rest of the year was nothing like the majority of the school year. It was uneventful, and, dare it ever happen, even kind of normal. Elaina for the first time felt what it was like at Hogwarts without all the drama occurring. She couldn't tell if she liked it or not.<p>

At last the day came when all the students once again boarded the Hogwarts Express and rode it back to King's Cross station. Elaina and Peter went through the barrier together and helped each other find their families.

"You know Elaina; it has been a great year." Peter announced. "I see you still have those roses."

Elaina smiled. She could see his parents standing nervously behind him.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. And yeah, I'm too curious to see when they will wilt to throw them out"

"Yeah…still can't believe they haven't yet, and you better get your eyesight back before next term! I don't know if I will be able to stand a year there alone with Parkinson's gang and Marvol's cronies there to torment me." Peter made a face at the thought.

"I will try Peter, but it doesn't look like it is going to happen and anyway they have already set me up for home schooling." Elaina rolled her eyes.

"…Oh well, here's to hoping!" Peter raised an imaginary glass. "Either way I will try and write maybe your aunt can read the letters to you."

"You go ahead and do that, but don't expect me to write back much." Elaina smiled raising her imaginary glass also.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Peter joked. "Anyway I have to go. See you again someday."

"Yep bye." The two began to walk away to their respective families.

"Aww, it's the two lovebirds sharing their last moments together before they are separated forever!" A boy taunted.

Elaina paused.

"Oh, put a sock in it Strange!" She snapped before walking away with her aunt.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: There is Chapter 4 of "The Legendary", please review it is greatly appreciated! Oh, and I am going to try something for the rest of the story. I am going to try and type of the rest of the story, or at least a good portion of it, before I post next so it may take a while before you see another chapter up. Just a heads up, I am sorry for this wait and the following wait(s).<strong>


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not, and will not ever, own Harry Potter.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

To say that Elaina Proe was not the luckiest girl would be an understatement. To say that she was a lucky girl would be a straight up lie.

When Elaina was ten both of her parents were killed and she was forced to leave the US to live in England with some lady who decided to adopt an orphan from out of country. Then, just last year when she was twelve, her luck got even worse when her best friend became her enemy and attacked her during the school's dueling club. Following that, she was attacked and blinded, a problem that was still not resolved. Then she was attacked again, likely by the same person, and knocked into a magic induced coma. When she woke up she was told she had to be home-schooled until further notice. Since then she has been babied, tortured and forced to hear her teacher, Mr. Chiggins, flirt with her foster mother and show up more often than necessary, causing her to be ahead in her studies.

"Oh Mister Chiggins!" A high pitched voice giggled.

Elaina flinched breaking her concentration on the typewriter. She did her best to glare at where she believed the stairs were.

"Stupid Mr. Chiggins," She muttered taking her glare away from the stairs and directing it at the typewriter. Something soft and heavy landed on top of Elaina's arms.

"Hey Night." Elaina smiled pulling her arms out from under her cat to scratch behind his ears. "You are Night right? And not one of Dori's psychotic tabbies?"

The cat hissed arching its back in response and swiping its claws across Elaina's arms.

"Ow! Fine you are Night, sorry." Elaina rubbed her sore arms. Once the pain had lessened she petted Night. "So, you've been awfully scarce lately, where have you been?"

Night only purred pushing his head into Elaina's hand.

The creaking stairs drew Elaina's attention to her right and quickly she tried to re-center her hands on the typewriter.

"Oh Ellie dear!" Dori called out jovially. She giggled. "I just remembered, how are you doing on your essay?"

"Well I wouldn't really know Dori." Elaina replied flatly. "But… guess who reappeared!"

"Night!" Her foster mother rushed over to the desk and stuck her hand out to pet the cat. But when Night sniffed her hand he jumped back hissing and swiped his claws across her hand. Dori jumped back in shock.

"Night!" Dori exclaimed rubbing her injured hand.

Elaina quickly reached for Night.

"Night, what has gotten into you? You usually love Dori!"

Night happily jumped back onto Elaina's lap, though he continued to give Dori the evil eye. Elaina stopped holding her arms out to thin air. His tail swished back and forth territorially.

Elaina was curious about her cat but she shrugged it off.

"Anyway," Dori eyed the cat suspiciously. "What have you got so far?"

Dori took a step forward her hand outstretched to see Elaina's homework. Night reacted instantly perking his head up and hissing. She retracted her hand.

"What is up with you today Night?" She exclaimed.

While her foster mother and cat were occupied in a glaring contest, Elaina took the liberty of centering her hands on the keyboard and finishing her paper. With any luck there were no mistakes and she wouldn't have to re-type the assignment…again. Quickly she snatched the paper out of the machine and held it out to Dori.

"Here it is Dori…" Elaina felt Night tense as Dori came closer to take the paper. "I really hope there aren't as many mistakes this time as there were last time."

"So do I, your teacher is such a flirt!" She exclaimed as she looked over the paper. "If he is given anymore of an excuse to stay he may _never leave_!"

"Don't tell me you have become _tired_ of his advances Dori-dearest!" Elaina mocked.

"Well don't get me wrong, I am flattered, but there **is** such a thing as too much attention." Dori's eyes narrowed before she marked something on the paper. "But he is kind of cute…"

Elaina could only imagine that Dori was blushing as she said that. "And he is the first guy—"

"…Magical guy," Dori corrected.

"—_Magical guy_, to show this much interest in you."

"Yeah…" Dori said dreamily.

"But…" Elaina started. Dori sighed.

"BUT every girl needs her space once in a while and Tom is not giving me any!"

"Tom?" Elaina asked, her face already stretched into a smirk.

"Oh…Mr. Chiggins," Dori furiously resumed checking Elaina's paper. "Here, it is definitely better. I say turn it in!"

Dori suddenly caught sight of the folded and unread Daily Prophet, the one that Peter had sent, lying next to the typewriter.

"Well that's a first; I presume that Peter sent you the newspaper." She stated, her voice laced with worry.

"Yeah, I don't really know why though, I have yet to find a willing adult who isn't busy flirting to read it to me. Truly, I hate being blind."

"You have such a gift for subtlety." Dori responded flatly.

"I try."

"I will tell you what, we will go downstairs, turn in your assignment-this was the last of it correct- and shoo Mr. Chiggins out of the house!"

"What about shooing me out of the house?" A tenor voice interrupted.

Elaina expanded her radar to encase Mr. Chiggins. From what she could tell he had long wavy hair that seemed to be tied in the back. He seemed a bit short to Elaina but she didn't know the average height for people. Dori had told her that Chiggins had mousy brown hair and brown eyes.

"Oh, Elaina and I were just thinking that since she has all of her homework done she would take the rest of the day off and I would help her catch up on what is happening in the world."

"Oh…well if you are sure you want to do that…" Chiggins stated rather hesitantly. "It may risk us falling behind but… it is your call…"

"Come on Tom, it is only one afternoon. Besides we are already months ahead of the public students." Dori defended.

"That's because wizarding schools have no sense of urgency. These children are the future of the magic community and if they are not prepared properly than our future is very bleak. Wizarding schools as per tradition teach only just a bit more than the basics so that students can control their magic and can expand their knowledge by traveling. It is assumed that each student can afford to travel to some extent to better prepare for their future career. But an unfortunate many have no clear path for their future so when graduation comes and goes they are left hanging out to flutter in the wind."

"So what does this have to do with Elaina's education?" Dori questioned.

"Well you want her to be better equipped and have a clearer path for the future right? Well once we get through the normal curriculum we can-…"

"…Mr. Chiggins, while I greatly appreciate your dedication to my education, I would like a break from all this work." Elaina interjected. "And as such, I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave this house so Dori and I may take this afternoon off in private!"

"Yes…well, I suppose I will see you tomorrow then." Mr. Chiggins bowed before quickly moving down the stairs and out of the house.

Elaina felt Night immediately relax before jumping out of Elaina's lap to lie down beneath her chair. Elaina waited.

"So is there anything new and interesting in the Daily Prophet?"

Dori picked up the paper and began skimming the paper. After a few minutes of skimming she finally began to read.

"Notorious mass murderer Sirius Black is still at large…" She read. "To think that the Black Massacre happened only 12 years ago…" Dori sighed. "You would have only been one then…"

"Yeah, and so was Harry Potter…" Elaina joked.

"Yeah, you know… it says here that the attack was in late October…didn't you mention once that the attack on Harry Potter was in October?"

"I believe I did, yes."

"You don't suppose that Black is somehow connected to that poor boy do you?" Dori sounded genuinely concerned for the boy that she had never met.

"Knowing Potter's luck he is." Elaina scoffed. "Also as per his luck Black is probably going to be seen at Hogwarts at some point this year."

"Well then, it is a good thing that you are not there." Dori said. "I don't know if I could handle knowing that you were somewhere where a mass murderer may be."

Elaina chose not to respond. Instead she changed the topic.

"So what's in the box?"

"Oh, Mr. Chiggins told me about this quill that could write for its owner. So I had him pick one up for you! I figured it would be much easier for you to handle than that dusty old typewriter."

"Gee…thanks." Elaina smiled but she didn't move to open the box. Instead she grabbed hold of the unopened envelope she had received via owl. "Hey Dori, would you please read this to me?"

"Of course I will!" Dori chimed grabbing the envelope out of Elaina's hand and ripping it open. "It looks like it is another letter from Peter! What, is he going to send you two letters a week for the rest of the year?"

"Well knowing Peter, and seeing as it is his first letter since summer, no." Elaina leaned back. "Please just read the letter."

"Okay, okay…" Dori moved the letter back and forth until she finally set upon a distance. **"Elaina…"**

…_**Things are good here at Hogwarts, well as good as they will ever be. As you are sure to know by now, Sirius Black, "the notorious mass murderer", is on the loose and evidently there is reason to believe that he is heading toward Hogwarts, aka 'Harry Potter'…**_

"Unbelievable, am I going to be able to blame every major wrongdoing at that school on that Potter boy?" Dori interrupted her reading.

"Probably, read on." Elaina motioned with her hand.

…_**As it turned out, they were right. On Halloween last Saturday, Sirius Black broke, or rather snuck, into Hogwarts and attempted to enter the Gryffindor common room shredding the portrait of the Fat Lady in the process. The teachers were in an uproar and made every student spend the rest of the night in the Great Hall while they searched the castle. To make matters worse, Dumbledore left the Head boy and girl in charge. He left PERCY WEASLEY in charge; you don't know how lucky you are to be away from here. Percy Weasley is a pompous and really quite annoying little git!**_

_**Anyway, everybody from the Ministry down to the first years are confused as to how Black got into Hogwarts, what with all of those dementors floating around. Dementors…eh… I shiver at the mere thought of them.**_

_**It just occurred to me! I am sorry for not mentioning them before….but I haven't told you about the dementors yet! Since the Ministry had reason to believe that Black was heading toward Hogwarts- and rightfully so- they ordered that Azkaban guards-a.k.a. dementors- to patrol Hogwarts to try and locate and capture Black. Dumbledore is furious and everybody is scared half to death! Dementors are these grey hooded figures with long grey, bony hands and they can suck all the happiness out of the world. When they are near everything goes cold and freezes. People all freak out and some even faint. Now I've done a bit of research on dementors and apparently they are deadly too! Or at least fairly close to deadly… Apparently when they remove their cloaks they can kiss a person and suck the soul completely out of him or her. Cripes! I am shivering now! So I am going to stop talking about those devilish creatures.**_

_**Oh, I almost forgot! And I really shouldn't because it is fairly big news. But Hogwarts has gotten a transfer student! Her name is Faye Aceline and she has been sorted into Ravenclaw, although for the life of me I can't figure out why…she is as foolishly brave as any Gryffindor. The others tell me that she has a bit more self preservation in her than most Gryffindors, but I just don't see it. The others also tell me that she is almost the opposite of you. While she is mostly brave with some self preservation, you are more self preservation with some bravery. Yet I still don't see it! Perhaps I am too close with the two of you to truly judge…**_

"Aceline? I swear I have seen that name before…" Dori interrupted her reading. Her face seemed scrunched. Elaina shook her head and spoke up.

"Oh, read on Dori!"

…_**Moving on, Faye and I have become close friends and I have told her all about you. And you wouldn't believe how excited she is to meet you! Maybe we can all meet up somewhere over one of our breaks! It would be such grand old fun!—**_

"I am telling you I have seen that name Aceline before…"

Elaina was getting annoyed with Dori's interruptions.

"Read on Dori!"

…_**On a more serious and disturbing note, before I forget to tell you. The other day was the first Quidditch match, it was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, of the year. It was storming terribly but they still played. Anyway, it was when both seekers were chasing after the snitch. All these dementors suddenly came onto the field and everybody went silent. All around us it went cold. But then two things happened. The first, Harry Potter looked down, and not long after, he fainted and fell about fifty feet. Secondly, Dumbledore, clearly enraged, stormed out onto the field, slowed Potter's descent, and singlehandedly drove away the dementors. Unfortunately for Potter his broom was blown away and, rumor has it, crashed into the whomping willow. Either way Potter no longer has his own broom, so until he gets a new broomstick, Gryffindor's shot at the cup seems very bleak…**_

"Oh the poor dear, attacked by-…"

"Please read on Aunt Dori!"

…_**Elaina, have you ever considered trying out for the Ravenclaw quidditch team? I seem to recall that you were rather good at flying during our flying lessons in first year. And didn't your foster mother get you that broomstick two years ago for your birthday? I doubt you'll be able to go for seeker, Cho Chang still holds that honor and I doubt she'll be leaving it anytime soon. I know how you hate sitting around doing nothing so I doubt Keeper is the job for you, although they don't really sit there for extended periods of time doing nothing. And I also know how crappy your aim is when it comes to sports that don't involve a wand and spell casting so it would be disastrous for you to play as a Chaser…so maybe a beater is the position for you!**_

_**Otherwise… how are your eyes? Are you any closer to recovering your sight? I know that Dumbledore and a number of our teachers- even Snape for some reason- have been working to find the solution, but I want to know how **__**you**__** are holding up. Also, I want to let you know that I am still searching for the solution but as I tirelessly go through the books in the Hogwarts library my fear that the answer that we are looking for is in the restricted section grows! It is times like this that I miss Lockhart. He was so pathetically gullible that manipulating him was pretty much the only thing that he was good for. Even a trusting and kind Hufflepuff could do it! Anyway, I shall continue my search until every rock is overturned, every nook and cranny is searched and your eyesight is returned.**_

_**Your Friend,**_

_**Peter Longhaven**_

_**P.S. I shall be asking either Flitwick or **_

_**Dumbledore about searching the restricted section.**_

Dori finished reading with a look of shock written upon her face.

"I never knew that a thirteen year old boy could write so much and sound so intellectual, albeit a bit distracted- about it." She stated.

"Well, that is Peter for you."

"I remember my first boyfriend… it was a challenge just to get him to write one sentence to me!"

"Well, Peter is not my boyfriend." Elaina smiled and then a thought struck her. Her hands shot forward and grabbed the box from the table. "Dori you said that this quill should be able to write for me correct?"

"Correct." Elaina could hear the joy in Dori's voice.

"No preparation needed?"

"None at all."

"Great!" Elaina ripped open the box and pulled out the quill. A tingling sort of feeling flew up her fingers, hand and arm before settling. Then the quill sprung out of her hand and into life. It floated mid-air waiting for instruction. Elaina reached up and grabbed a hold of it and relaxed.

"Dori quickly placed a few sheets of paper in front of Elaina and scurried out of the room.

Elaina let go of the quill and began dictating.

"Dear Peter…"

* * *

><p>Elaina collapsed on the couch. The last month had been grueling. Mr. Chiggins had been working her to the bone and with only three days before Christmas they had finished the entire third year curriculum plus over half of the fourth year material.<p>

"I feel like my head may explode!" Elaina groaned reaching for her head.

"Well, if it does explode and you die, feel free to travel through this painting and give us some more company back in the study." An oddly familiar voice added.

"I doubt my head is going to explode. And bedsides Dori does not have a…" Elaina paused before seconds later jumping up to her feet and making a 180 turn with her wand drawn. Carefully she expanded her radar to cover the entire room. But no one was there, only a cat asleep on Dori's favorite plush chair.

"Who are you?" She called out hesitantly.

"Oh…don't tell me you don't recognize me. It really wasn't that long ago that we met." The taunting voice allowed Elaina to figure out where the voice was coming from…no matter how impossible his location seemed.

"Sorry but I don't really know who you are." Ever so slowly Elaina made her way around the couch and toward the wall directly behind the furniture. She aimed her wand at the wall.

"Shame…" Whoever it was commented. "I rather liked you. At least by my standards I liked you."

"Why is that?" Elaina concentrated her radar on that section of wall and prodded. At first it appeared to just be a wall but the longer that the radar was concentrated there the clearer it became. There within the wall was a small alcove disguised by what Elaina made out to be an illusion. She made her way over to it.

"Well you certainly don't spend all of your time talking about books, you don't lecture me about my beliefs and you don't go on and on about loyalty!"

Elaina reached the hiding hole and poked the wall with her wand. Her radar's image of the wall seemed to shimmer.

"I suppose I should take that as a compliment." Elaina stated as she cautiously touched the wall with her hand. Solid, there was no shimmering. Elaina kept her hand on the wall and touched the wall with her wand. Almost instantly she fell forward to catch herself against another wall only six inches in.

"Hm…I was wondering how long it was going to take you to discover this alcove. I was afraid I was going to have to frighten that muggle mother of yours."

"She's a squib… and she's not my mother"

"It does not matter. She's still a blemish."

"Well, aren't you a joy to be around…" Elaina stated blandly. She pulled her arms out of the wall. As she did so she felt the illusion disappear.

"Funny…Hellie tells me that every hour or so…" Elaina froze as he said that.

"_She's blind Hellie…"_

"_Blind! How do you know that she is blind Sal?"_

Elaina knew where she had heard that voice.

"Sal?"

"So you **do** remember me!" Sal exclaimed rather blandly. "I was beginning to worry there for a second."

"Well excuse me, I never expected to ever talk to the same portrait again, let alone in my foster mother's home."

"Well, there are two-not including this portrait- of my portrait. This one actually isn't specifically mine. WE created it as a gift for an old friend of ours so that we could speak with her and her descendants. It is such a pity that the portrait has landed into the hands of a muggle not of that bloodline."

"Uh-huh." Elaina was interested by the story but interest only goes so far. "So why are you here and revealing yourself now if it is so bothersome?"

"Oh the reason that I am here, well Ric and Roe finally remembered the spell that has afflicted you and its counter spell."

"So why are you here?"

"Oh, they were arguing over the wand movements so much that I was sick of hearing it. I knew the wand movements so I figured I would cut out the middleman, less of a headache that way."

"So…what is the spell?" Elaina felt a bit queasy trusting a portrait but she held her place.

"The spell is…"

* * *

><p>"Well… it appears that the effects of the curse have been lifted off of her…although I still don't understand how…" A plump lady in a long white dress announced hesitantly shining a bright light into her patient's eyes.<p>

The other four adult occupants sighed in relief before a few of them shared a glance.

The plump lady with curly brown hair straightened up extinguishing the light on the tip of her wand. The patient was smiling brightly.

"We told you Ms. Hally, Elaina's teacher was scanning books for some new material for Elaina's Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson and happened to stumble across it. It was rather miraculous!" Dori exclaimed her smile even brighter than Elaina's.

"Miraculous indeed! I would rather like to see this fabled book so that I can write down this spell and its counter spell for future use!" The medic looked doubtful and incredibly suspicious. Elaina looked at the three huddled around the door, the Minister of Magic Fudge, Dumbledore and some toad looking lady who was sickingly smothered in pink. She knew why Dumbledore was there but the other two were a mystery to her. She looked back at the medic. The medic was making a harder case for her point than Elaina had expected. Elaina was almost convinced to tell her the truth, but it was too dangerous for them to know the truth. It was just too dangerous and too traitorous.

She had made a couple of promises, both of which she intended to keep.

_[flashback]_

"…_Honey, do you understand what we are telling you?" Blue eyes implored her to agree._

"_Yes mommy." She agreed nodding her head slowly._

"_Now darling," She looked up at the taller figure looking down with harder but saddened eyes. "What we told you must never be told to anyone unless the situation __**absolutely**__ calls for it, or the end of all this is at hand. Do you understand?"_

"_Yes, but how will I know if it is time to tell someone?" She asked starting to feel panic spread through her system._

"_Don't worry about it Honey, when the time comes you will know." The shorter figure bent down a bit more and kissed her on the head._

"_Now darling, please promise us that you will carry on this torch and keep our secret unless those certain circumstances arise."_

_The girl looked up at the two figures and without further delay gave a firm;_

"_I promise daddy!"[end fb]_

Elaina tore herself out of her memory to see the medic arguing with Mr. Chiggins.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE THE BOOK WITH YOU?" Ms. Hally screamed.

"I-I m-mean the when I g-got to the cash r-register to buy the book I discovered that I didn't have enough money s-so I quickly m-moved to return the book to its spot but b-before I did so I scribbled down the spell and counter spell!" Mr. Chiggins was as red as a strawberry and as wet as seaweed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well," Ms. Hally appeared to calm down but Elaina could tell how tense she still was. "May I see the piece of paper then?"

"I-I-I s-seem to h-ave l-l-lost it-t-t." Mr. Chiggins looked even worse for wear as he stepped back.

Ms. Hally looked furious and her face was puffed up to twice its usual size.

"And you are telling me that you have _no_ idea where that slip of paper may be?"

Elaina didn't like the look the toad lady was giving her. The toad lady was smiling but her eyes said that she was suspicious.

"W-Well…there's a ch-chance that that sl-slip of p-p-pa-paper m-m-might have somehow f-f-fallen in with m-my recycling."

"…Well maybe we could go and find it…" Ms. Hally growled.

"Um…m-m-my r-recycling has already b-been b-b-burned."

Elaina finally tore her attention away from the argument and was able to ignore toad lady to focus on her situation.

_[fb]"It is imperative that you do not reveal our hideaway and where exactly you have gotten this information. If word got out, it would not only pull you into heavy questioning but it would create great trouble for us."Sal instructed_

"_Understood."[endfb]_

Elaina had no intention of revealing that secret.

"Eh-hem."

Although it had been very quiet it seemed as though every person in the room had heard her. Elaina snapped her attention to toad lady.

"It appears the Mr. Chiggins has made a grave error-a very grave error indeed- and needs time to locate this spell. As it is, I think that it may be a good idea to suspend Miss Proe's education indefinitely until this matter is resolved."

"WHAT?" Elaina jumped out of her chair. "How is **that** fair? I've done nothing wrong so why should I be punished?"

"Now Miss Proe, let's pause and talk through this," Dumbledore interrupted. "I find sometimes that the best results come out of the more peaceful work."

"If I may, it is of my opinion that naughty children need to be punished and from what I can tell all three of these people appear to see it fit to tell lies to the **Minister of Magic!** And that is something that I will not tolerate."

"We are not lying to you!" Elaina threw out there. Never before had she ever felt such a need to strangle someone. Thankfully the Minister chose to interrupt.

"Now Dolores, Miss Proe looks like a perfectly respectable young witch. If she has in fact lied I am sure that she has a reason for doing so!"

"But the law! Think of the magical community, we can not allow a questionable witch run loose and risk the safety of others in the community! For all we know she could be the next Dark Lord, or Lady!"

"You have got to be joking!" Elaina hadn't meant for it to slip out but it did and it was too late to take it back.

The toad lady glared at Elaina as if she was imagining tearing the girl apart limb by limb.

"Now, now, you may be overreacting here Dolores…" Fudge raised his hands in defense his pudgy little face scrunched up in an uneasy smile.

"It could be _dark magic_ Cornelius!" The way toad lady said 'dark magic' made Elaina want to laugh. Toad lady had said it so softly and fearfully as if something was going to jump out and attack if she said the words any louder.

"I picked up no traces of dark magic when I checked her." Ms. Hally stated as she packed up the few things that she had brought out. Mentally Elaina couldn't stop thanking the medic, but she paused when she noticed the toad lady looking ready to explode in anger.

"Well, then it seems that everything is in order!" Dumbledore spoke up cheerfully, clapping his hands together. "Miss. Proe has her sight back and as agreed at the end of her second year I say let her return to Hogwarts!"

"Yes, I quite agree!" Fudge exclaimed. "…Unpleasant business it tends to be when you tell someone that they can't go back to something they had done for so long before."

"Fine…I'm sure next year's third years may _benefit_ from having the knowledge of someone who has already been taught the curriculum." The toad lady sent an accusing glare at Elaina. The joy that Elaina had felt when she heard them agreeing to let her return to Hogwarts slightly diminished at the thought of repeating the third year curriculum.

"Hold her back a year!" Fudge exclaimed. "I dare say not!"

"I quite agree." Dumbledore chimed in.

"Then it is settled, Miss Proe shall return to Hogwarts and continue her education with the rest of her original graduating class!"

Elaina tried her best to ignore the murderous glare that the toad lady, whatever her name may be, was giving her as the excitement filled her once more. She was going back to school! She would be able to see her friends again! She was pretty sure that nothing could diminish her joyous mood!

But as the Minister continued to talk, about random stuff that Elaina didn't care about, she found herself steadily deflating with thoughts of, how much people have probably changed, and other thoughts equally as worrying. But what hammered the final nail into the coffin was the intense glare that the toad lady was throwing her way. Elaina hadn't meant to look, but as time had quickly ticked by, she had found herself unable to ignore the feeling of the murderous intent rolling off of the Toad Lady. So she had looked, and she saw this toad face, scrunched up to look like a rabid pit-bull about to attack. Elaina was glad that she managed to keep herself seated instead of sprinting away.

Elaina couldn't figure out why the toad lady hated her so much though, they had never met before that day, so it wasn't like Elaina did something to piss her off…. The toad lady was neat, wore a lot of pink, and she appeared to be obsessed with the idea that everything had to be done by the rules and by her way.

'_Wait…that's it,'_ Elaina thought. _'She is assuming that I have done something illegal or unacceptable. Oh well.'_

"Now that that is all settled…" Fudge was apparently done with his soap box. "Miss Proe, you should be receiving your Hogwarts letter within the next few weeks along with all other Hogwarts students. Be sure to get to Diagon Alley to get your supplies. Now I best be off, it's a madhouse back at work, what with the Quidditch World Cup and _that other thing_ coming up, everybody is in a frenzy."

With that, the Minister flew out of the house as if a pack of hell hounds were right on his heels. Toad lady gave one last glare at Elaina and Dori before she waddled after the minister.

"We'll be sure to send you a Hogsmeade form along with your list of school supplies. And welcome back Miss. Proe!" Dumbledore smiled brightly before gliding down the stairs and out of the house. Elaina watched him leave apprehensively. She turned back to Dori and smiled.

"Well, that went …_well…_." Elaina grimaced as she spoke. "Honestly, I didn't think they'd be so inquisitive…"

"Actually I thought that went by easier than I expected." Dori commented. "Although, I expected the Minister to put up more of a fuss over your regained sight…"

Elaina shrugged as she stared at Dori. Dori wasn't young and she wasn't horribly old, but her hair had yet to show any grey. Her brown hair was styled in short curls around her skull. Dori smiled, her green eyes twinkling.

"So…up for any shopping?" She asked.

"Please tell me you're talking about the larger village and not that smaller one." Elaina groaned.

"Of course, I still can't believe you are that bothered by that one mansion in the smaller village." Dori stated.

"I am sorry if that house gives me the creeps." Elaina pouted.

"Well then, let's go!" Dori was off like a rocket as soon as she had Elaina's wrist in her grasp.

The two left the house so quickly that even as they paused to lock the door they failed to notice the Flower pot on the wrong side of the porch. Had they, stopped and noticed it they may have found a hole in the bottom of the pot.

* * *

><p><strong>[[5 months later]]<strong>

A sharp crack was all that was heard before she crashed into the ground, scraping her skin with all the twigs and rocks that were to be found. Through her foggy vision she could just barely make out faint red and brown lines scattered across her arms. Her mind began to drift.

"_Hey…why don't you get any mail from your parents?"…_

…

"_My parents are dead."_

"_I'm so sorry…how did they die?"_

"_..."_

"Get up…" A panting voice croaked.

It was enough. She jolted awake and struggled to push herself onto her feet. Every move she made, every breath and every thought that she made, hurt. But she still spun around her hand outstretched a peculiar stick in hand.

"Aunt…" She started. She was quickly shushed and pushed back.

"Put that away, we don't want you expelled!" Dori hissed back. Her eyes were unusually filled with panic and terror, it made the girl actually feel scared for the first time in a while.

Elaina could hardly even recognize her under all the dirt, grime and through her daze.

"But…" Elaina began to protest but Dori shook her head.

Dori looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide, and cursed before taking off running with Elaina being pulled behind her. Elaina, still dazed, forced herself to try and keep up with the older lady. Eventually, they slowed to a stop and she was yanked behind the older woman.

"Now you listen to me, we're only slightly off in our arrival point. You are to run that way and find help. **I** will hold him back as long as I can."

"But…"

"NO BUTS!" Dori quickly lowered her voice after that and quickly scanned the forest. "Listen, you need to go and get help and the only way that you will be able to do that is if I can successfully hold _him_ off!"

Elaina opened her mouth to protest but Dori beat her to it.

"Like I said, no if or buts about it, now go!" Dori's glare was enough to make Elaina turn and run for the hills.

As she ran the air thickened and all of the wildlife quieted. Her heart screamed for her to turn back but her mind, made sure to remind her of Dori's orders. So she ran.

Only a mere, few seconds later there was a large explosion from behind her. Elaina choked back a sob and slowly lost her mind to the darkness that was creeping up. She continued to run blindly and madly.

* * *

><p>Aberforth was no fool; he knew what the air felt like when something was amiss. It was heavy, depressing and it felt just like it did at that moment. He took one glance at his near empty establishment and deemed it safe enough for him to leave them on their own. After all they knew better than to try and rob him, they would never be able to get past his wards.<p>

He headed out the back door. Something told him that it was out back where he wanted to be. He took a quick glance at the sky. Dark grey, a storm appeared evident. He looked back down at the forest and scanned the area. Something was different, something was off.

A loud explosion reverberated through the air, startling Aberforth. His eyes snapped to the direction that it came from. He could just barely make smoke floating up into the sky. A sharp crack drew his attention away from the sky and he went back to scanning the forest. A very loud and unearthly scream soon followed giving his line of sight more focus.

"Come out! I know you're out there!" He growled as he slowly crept forward. There was no answer, but he could hear the steady sound of feet hitting the ground coming closer and closer. He aimed his wand toward where the sound was coming from..

"Show yourself coward!" Aberforth called out.

Suddenly a dark figure stumbled out from the blanket of trees and collapsed. To say Aberforth was shocked to see that the figure was a girl who looked worse for wear, would be an understatement. She was shaking from what he could only guess was exhaustion.

He crept closer.

"Who are…" He began to ask but stopped when he began to make out words that the girl was saying.

"No…Aunt…Help…I need to… Aunt Dori…no…help…I need…"

She wasn't making any move to attack, nor was she making a lick of sense. He quickly muttered a spell and a ball of white light shot out of his wand and illuminated a small area around the figure. The light must have awoken her from her daze as she shot up to her feet and stared at him with fear. A few moments of silence floated through the air before she let out a pain filled shriek and took off running. He cursed and sent out a ball of silver light through the air to find its target.

"This is why I hate dealing with brats." He muttered as he took off running after the figure.

* * *

><p>Four figures suddenly appeared at the edge of a dark forest. Followed by a silver goat. The silver light hovered in its spot for a few seconds before slowly floating away into the trees. The four figures, following the lead of the oldest, quickly rushed after the silver light.<p>

"Would someone terribly_ mind_ telling me what I am doing here running after a ball of light and not at home reading a highly interesting book on the use of werewolf spleens in potions?" One of the figures snapped.

"I find that I must agree with Severus on this one Albus, why are we here? I was in the middle of packing my things to see my grandson before I have to start making sure everything is ready in the Hospital Wing!"

"Well, I was in my office going over some paperwork, rather a tedious thing to do-but alas it must be done- and I was having the most delightful cup of tea…you know, you should really try it, it has hibiscus in it and—"

"Get on with it." Snape interrupted his eyes warily scanning the forest.

"—when I received a patronus from Aberforth saying something about a hysterical and injured girl in the woods, who appeared to be old enough to be attending Hogwarts."

"An injured girl in the woods?" The fourth figure asked.

"That sounds about right, Minerva." Dumbledore stated. "There's Abeforth right now!"

They came to a stop as they reached the other old man standing in a very small clearing.

"Aberforth!" Dumbledore exclaimed looking incredibly pleased.

"Albus." Aberforth's greating was curt and filled with disdain.

Dumbledore, who had looked ready to jump up and down in excitement quickly turned serious.

"It is a surprise to hear from you Aberforth, perhaps you could clarify on what is so urgent for you to contact me?"

There was a loud snap and their eyes flew over to see what had made the noise. A figure had emerged from the trees. The sun just starting to rise allowed them to see who the figure was.

"Do you recognize her, Albus?"

"Is that Miss. Proe?" although Snape was curious for the answer he was easily the calmest out of the lot to ask.

The figure stumbled and fell to her knees. But she didn't get up. She remained there on her hands and knees appearing to quiver.

"She'll get up in a few minutes and run off again." Aberforth stated seemingly unfazed by the shock expressions he was receiving.

"And you're just going to stand there and let her do it!" Madame Pomphrey scolded.

"I've tried running after her but she always comes right back and falls. It's like she's in a loop. Then as she gets up she says something about "Help" and "Aunt Dori."

As if on cue, Elaina rose to her feet and spoke those predicted words, but before she took off running there came an odd snap and she spun around tense and read to fight. But she soon relaxed.

McGonagall followed Elaina's line of sight and saw a small cat.

"That's Miss. Proe's cat." Seconds after McGonagall pointed it out, the cat took off running and Elaina quickly followed.

"I'm getting too old for this." Aberforth grumbled before he too ran off after the cat and girl.

Of the remaining four, Madame Pomphrey was the first to catch up to Abeforth.

"Whatever happened to waiting for her to return?" Madame Pomphrey taunted.

They jumped over a fallen trunk.

"The cat was new." He muttered in response.

"Still, you should have stopped her and calmed her down!" Pomphrey scolded. "Now we are chasing her through the Forbidden Forest!"

"The girl was barely even responsive when I tried that!" He snapped. "She took one blank look at me and asked if I would help her and then went back to running around calling for help and some Aunt Dori!"

"Well you should—"

"Now Poppy, Aberforth-" Dumbledore interrupted before a loud and terrible wail tore through the air cutting him off. They all sped up and stared ahead.

Elaina had stumbled and was struggling to get back on to her feet. Further ahead, two dark figures could be seen lying on the ground.

As they began to near the fallen shapes, Elaina gathered her footing and began to run toward the figures, but McGonagall, having caught up, grabbed hold of the girl's arm and pulled her to her chest stopping the girl from moving any closer. The other four, with their wands outstretched advanced upon the fallen figures.

Elaina began to sob as she stared hopelessly at one of the figures. The Dumbledores and Pomphrey stopped at the first figure that the cat was sitting next to; while Snape went on to check the second figure.

"Dead." Snape called out scanning the ground before spotting something and picking it up.

"This one too." Aberfoth called out.

"I don't think I've seen wounds **this** horrible since the peak of _the wizarding war_." Pomphrey muttered.

"It appears that I have found a wand."

"How very odd," Dumbledore responded holding something up. "So have I."

Four sets of eyes shot up to look at the old man in surprise.

"Why does that sound out of place Albus?" Abeforth demanded.

"Well for one that stranger over there could have easily been a wizard, but this one here, Ms. Doria Dollay if I am not mistaken, was a squib." Silence filled the air as Dumbledore finished.

Snape was the first one to break the silence.

"Perhaps, it is Miss. Proe's wand then?" He inquired.

"It isn't." A stern voice interjected. Eight eyes stared at McGonagall, she held Elaina's wand in her hand. McGonagall slipped the wand back into the pocket where she had conjured it from.

"Then whose wand is it?" Pomphrey asked.

"I suppose that is an answer that only Miss. Proe would be able to answer for us." Dumbledore mused.

Snape began to stride forward.

"Miss. Proe." He said curtly. No response came. "Whose…"

Snape was interrupted by Elaina's loud screech and thrashing about. She broke free of McGonagall, dodged Snapes attempt to grab her and tried to make a run for it. The others were quick to take a jab at capturing her but it wasn't until Aberfoth cast a spell to knock her out that they managed to do so.

Pomphrey quickly cast _Mobilicorpus_ and Elaina hovered above the ground before she addressed her companions. "Well, where am I taking her? Hogwarts?"

"St. Mungo's?" Snape suggested.

"Just take to her to the Hogshead and put her in one o' the rooms." Aberforth snapped. "Actually, just follow me, I'll show you where to put her. Now you two," He pointed to Dumbledore and McGonagall. "I s'spect that damned Ministry will want to know about this so get to it."

Aberforth spun around and marched back toward his tavern. Snape and Pomphrey quickly followed with the hovering body.

After they were gone, Dumbledore raised his arm and shot a silver light into the sky.

* * *

><p>A sharp crack cut through the air announcing the arrival of two figures.<p>

"Ah…Shacklebolt and Miss. Tonks!" Dumbledore welcomed.

"Dumbledore." Shacklebolt greeted.

"It is nice to see you again."

"Yes, if only it was under better circumstances." Shacklebolt responded as the second figure glided up to next to him.

"Speaking of which, what is this about an attack, two dead bodies and why did you ask that we bring the file on an Elaina Proe?" Tonks asked waving a rather thick folder for someone who was still in school. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was for us to get that file from the Ministry of Immigration."

"Ah…yes the attack, well actually Miss. Tonks…" Dumbledore began but was interrupted by the arrival of a third figure.

"I've searched the entire area, but there doesn't appear to be…any …other…" McGonagall slowed to a stop next to Dumbledore as she took notice of the two new arrivals. "Two? We have two dead, and one traumatized and all the Ministry sends are two aurors to investigate?"

"With all due respect Professor, you're lucky they sent any!" Tonks snapped cheekily. "If the head had had his way he would have only sent a secretary and there would be no one to lead the reporters away from the story.

"Why I…" Shacklebolt was quick to interrupt McGonagall before she could finish her thought.

"She is right. The Quidditch World cup and the Tournament have preoccupied the Ministry's mind too much for them to have time to send people to deal with everyday crisises.

"I see how it can be a very busy time for the Ministry and I appreciate your making time to investigate this." Dumbledore responded.

"But this is murder, not an everyday occurence!" McGonagall exclaimed. "Surely the Ministry…"

A sharp glance from Dumbledore was enough to quiet McGonagall on the subject.

"Now what happened here sir and what is this about a girl in hysterics?" Tonks asked.

"I am afraid we don't really know much more. WE were called here ourselves by my brother Aberforth." Dumbledore was staring at the second figure –a male- curious. "I believe I may recognize that fellow."

He crouched down for a closer look.

"So what **do** you know?" Shacklebolt asked.

"Aberforth said he was inside when he heard a loud explosion and he went out to investigate." Dumbledore glanced up from the body. "When he got inside the forest he saw Miss. Elaina Proe, hysterical and running around frantically as she, every now and then, shouted for help."

Dumbledore paused waiting to see if the aurors had any questions. The two motioned for him to continue.

"He contacted me and Minerva, Severus, Poppy and I popped on down her to take a look. When we did we followed Miss. Proe as she chased her cat and we were led here."

"Where you found the two bodies?" Tonks asked.

"Yes."

"And that is all you know?" She pressed.

"Yes."

"Where is Miss. Proe now?" Shacklebolt questioned.

"She should be back in Hogsmeade with Aberforth, Severus and Poppy by now." McGonagall answered.

"We're going to need to speak to her." Shacklebolt stated.

"But we can do that after we take care of the crime scene." Tonks said. He tone was serious as she said it but seconds later she seemed to liven up a bit. "So, who were the deceased?"

Dumbledore stood. He pointed to the female corpse.

"That was Doria Dollay, Miss. Proe's foster mother." He looked back down at the other body, pausing before he continued. "And this appears to be Mr. Thomas Chiggins, Miss. Proe's home school teacher."

McGonagall gave a start at the revelation. The two aurors however acted as if it was an every day occurrence.

The two Aurors set to work occasionally asking the two observers for assistance. The four worked well into the night and it wasn't until near dawn that they allowed themselves some rest.

* * *

><p>"I don't think this is a good idea Albus!"<p>

"They would have had to do it eventually Minerva! Besides we've already stalled them for two days!"

"Her room's right down there, last door on the left." Aberforth called down from the top of the steps. The group of people coming up the steps looked up at him as they approached the level.

Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you again Aberforth."

"Yes, thank you, last door was it?" Shacklebolt asked.

"Yes. Good luck getting her out of there though, let alone talk. The girl hasn't left that room in two days. I've had to send Beanie up every meal and even then we're lucky if she eats an apple."

Aberforth followed the group down the hallway and to the last room. They were silent as if they were walking to an execution. At last they reached the tattered wooden door and with apprehension Dumbledore knocked on the door calling out to ask if they could enter. No answer came. Aberforth watched incredulously as the group waited before knocking again repeating the previous question and receiving the same answer. He signed and pushed to the front.

"She hasn't left the room, remember? She's too lost in her world to even consider killing herself or to answer the door." He elaborated pushing the door open. He quickly announced that they were coming in and the group of wizards filled the room.

The sight that they were met with shocked some of them. The girl looked disheveled and it was apparent that she had not washed, changed cloths or had a good nights rest recently. Her golden red hair, normally with a shine to it was flat and greasy. Her blue eyes were dulled to the point that it almost appeared that she was dead. The dark rings under her eyes did nothing to help. The rest was just as saddening to look at. The only consolation was that the there was an empty lunch plate on the night stand.

Elaina was sitting on the bed, against the wall as she stared blankly out the window. She gave no indication of recognizing that there were other people in the room.

The wizards looked at each other silently asking who was going to go first. Dumbledore was quick to step up to the plate.

"Miss. Proe." There came no response. After a quick nod to continue from his brother, Dumbledore went on. "Miss. Proe, the auror office needs to know what happened. Now, Professor McGonagall and I won't leave if you would rather we stay."

Again he was met with silence, but he didn't leave. Trusting she had heard him he stepped aside.

Shacklebolt spoke. "Miss. Proe, the Auror office is very sorry for your loss…"

Elaina again gave no indication of hearing.

"However, there are still missing holes in the picture and I am afraid we must bother you for the details on what happened."

He was met with silence. No one spoke and for at least five minutes. The four stood wondering if someone should break the silence.

"Giving my side of the story involves telling the whole story." Elaina finally spoke, though her eyes remained focused out the window.

"I suppose we do want the whole story, who that man was, why was he after you and why did your foster mother have a wand?" Shacklebolt elaborated.

"If it was just that then I would certainly tell you, but you would be rather confused and to tell you the rest I don't wish to do." Elaina elapsed into silence again.

The adults were left standing in confusion. They each looked at one another begging for an explanation to be made known. None was offered.

"Miss. Proe," Dumbledore spoke up. "We need to know what happened."

"No you don't. You want to know, but you do not _need _to know." Elaina looked at Dumbledore, looking torn with tears beginning to slide down her face. Dumbledore found himself shocked at the crushed and confused look present on the girl's face.

She seemed to be pondering over something behind her dull blue eyes, but Dumbledore could take a guess at what it may be. At last her eyes closed in apparent shame as she spun her head around to face out the window. Finally, she spoke.

"How familiar are you with Lizabeth Dryken?"

* * *

><p>[[<strong>2-3 months later]]<strong>

"_Elaina, RUN!_

"_Bu-"_

"_RUN! I'll meet up with you later!"_

_Elaina tore off toward the forest fear coursing through her veins. At last she reached the edge of the forest. She stopped and wondered if she should go back. With her heart in her ears she turned. _

_BANG!_

Her eyes shot open slightly disoriented. It took her a moment to remember where she was.

"Get your lazy butt out of bed, it is already noon and you promised me that you would help out at the inn before you headed out!"

"I'm up, I'm up." Elaina swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up. She looked up. Aberforth was already gone.

"Good morning to you too…" She dragged herself out of her bed and forced herself into the bath and into clothes. She returned to her room and nearly collapsed back onto the bed. She did not want to go down there barely forcing out a smile-if at all- while she interacted with the few questionable characters that were sure to be there.

She stared at her half-open and half-packed trunk. On top of what was already in there sat a small black box. Two months that box had sat around haunting her. For two weeks she had moped around pondering her life, her Dori's life and life in general. For at least half of those weeks she had been nearly unresponsive to the questions thrown at her. But for well over two hundred months that little box had sat unopened as an endless mystery.

She could open it. In fact, she probably should open it, but she couldn't, not now.

A series of large thumps and curses from the other side of the door drew Elaina's attention from her thoughts. Slowly she rocked to her feet.

* * *

><p>Heavy sand seemed to weigh heavily upon her eyelids as she watched the nearly empty bar. Elaina had been sitting at the counter, for at the very least two hours, watching the quiet store while Aberforth ran errands- or rather skirted his job. She absolutely hated it.<p>

More often than not, there were very little customers and this day was no different. There were only two drunken goblins and a tense man with dark hair that was looking around nervously. Perhaps he should be kicked out for suspicious reasons but Aberforth had explicitly said that no one was to be thrown out unless they got too rowdy.

Elaina turned her gaze to the rest of the empty joint. She groaned and looked down. Still no Night. Her cat had been the only thing during the course of the entire day to really keep her entertained and her mind off of the upcoming evening. But unfortunately, Night had spotted what appeared to be a scraggly grey rat with possibly a toe missing scurry across the floor. A loud crash brought her attention to a flash of grey and a streak of black. The two quickly ducked out of sight.

Elaina worked on emptying her mind of her thoughts but was interrupted by the creaking of the door. She looked up. Aberforth was back and standing in the doorway looking rather shocked.

"What are you doing?"

"I am watching your stupid joint while you gallivant around the world."

"So sorry for noticing the time of day, now move it." Aberforth was quick to usher her out from behind the counter and began cleaning glasses to the poor state they were in before they were used.

Elaina stood there confused by what he had said. The low sun beginning to set began to ring a bell with her until it finally struck her.

"Crud." She was late. She spun around and flew up the stairs but as she reached the last steps she thought of something. She sped back downstairs and whistled before calling out.

"Night!" The very few customers glanced up glaring at her. No cat came.

"Oh, I don't have time for this," Elaina grumbled before spinning back around and flying back up the steps.

She ran to her room, the last room on the left and flung open the door. A half empty trunk sat on her bed while various items and clothes lay scattered throughout the room.

She panicked at the sight. Her eyes landed on her cat sitting haughtily on the desk.

"How did you get in here?" She asked. She shook her head and moved to start packing. She began throwing stuff into the trunk until it was over flowing.

"Of course the stupid thing is too small." She muttered. An idea struck her. She immediately pulled out her wand, aimed and fired. All of the items fell into the trunk and after a few seconds there came a dull thump.

Smiling she turned to the rest of the mess and with a quick charm each item flew into the trunk one by one. At last, she could see the floor and feel a semblance of hope to arrive on time. She did a quick scan of the room to check for forgotten items.

Her eyes stopped on Night. She picked up the cat carrier and turned to get the cat into it, but when she turned the cat had run. In its place sat a long black box.

Instantly the stress, worry and sense of the world vanished. Elaina walked over and delicately picked up the box. She hardly noticed that she had put down the cat carrier. She stared at the haunting box in her hand and choked back a sob.

"_**Mommy what's that black box for?"**_

"_**Sh…it's a secret!"**_

Elaina turned it over and began to slip her fingers in to open it.

"_**But why is it a secret?"**_

"_**Shh…not so loud! Tell you what, when you are older and I think that you are ready I'll tell you!"**_

Elaina stopped. She stared at the box for a few more second before placing it in her trunk.

"_**Promise?"**_

"_**Promise."**_

Silently, she ran a list through her head, mentally checking off all the items she had packed. A couple of times she allowed her mind to stray causing her to restart her list.

It was when she was nearly done with her checklist that Night suddenly jumped up startling Elaina in the progress. She stared down at the cat, until the item in his mouth caught her eye.

"Now where on Earth, did you get a watch?" She asked pulling the device out of the creature's mouth. She paused at seeing the time. A few seconds later she shot up cursing her luck and she slammed shut the trunk and ran out the door. But when she reached the top of the stairs, she came to a screeching halt. Spinning around she sprinted back to her room and slammed open the door. There on her bed sitting innocently was her trunk along with a few other items just as innocent as the trunk. She flicked her wand and the boxes sped out the door. Elaina followed closely behind, down the stairs and out the door, barely managing to take the slip of paper from Aberforth's outstretched hand before she was gone. It wasn't until a few minutes later when she was already soaked from the rain that she thought of magically repelling the rain.

* * *

><p>The two groups stood tersely in the hallway waiting to enter while trying to give the other group the very bare minimum of polite acknowledgement. Perhaps they should show more tolerance of each other, but neither side was in the mood to entertain the notion.<p>

They settled for warily watching one another when they weren't trying to busy themselves. One side fawned over a muscular sort of boy while the other mentally marked where the interior of the castle could use some improvement. Neither dared to speak, not with the caretaker-whatever his name was- standing there watching like a hawk with a wicked smile across his face. And it certainly didn't help that his scraggly, evil-looking cat sat there also eyeing them down.

A series of loud crashes and curses pulled their attention elsewhere. They all turned to look toward where they had entered.

"PEEVES!"

"STUDENT, LATE, LATE STUDENT! NAUGHTY NAUGHTY! ON THE FIRST NIGHT TOO!" The groups were greeted with the sight of a horrendously dressed ghost shooting around the corner with a wide smile on his face and a black robe tied around his head- as if he was pretending to be a bunny- and a bag full of something colorful in one of his hands. He was followed by an infuriated and rather wet girl, who looked to be no older than 14 years of age. The girl had a wand in her hand and appeared to be trying to take aim at the poltergeist.

"Peeves, give me back my robe!"

"How, 'bout I keep the robe and instead I'll give you this!"

The observers watched astounded as the poltergeist reached into his bag and out of it chucked a brightly colored balloon at the poor girl. The girl though seemed to realize something that they did not. She swiped her wand through the air and dodged sending the balloon to burst against the ground. The observers were rather shocked when a cloud of color splattered out of the balloon as it burst open.

"Stupid poltergeist." The caretaker cursed moving into action. He strolled up with the full intention of forcing Peeves to quit his shenanigans but the poltergeist merely smiled and began to talk.

"Filthy Filtchy is coming out to play! I even have special balloon for you!" Peeves immediately reached into his bag, while at the same time slinging his bag over his shoulder, with both hands and pulled out two new balloons. The observers to the fiasco could not for see any difference in the balloons, but they hoped that none of those balloons were flung their way.

The girl, a student, reacted instantly flourishing her wand and about to call out a spell but the ghost seemed to have foreseen the action for one of the balloons was promptly chucked at her. The other balloon was on direct course to crash into the caretaker.

Both defenders managed to dodge the incoming projectiles but a spell flew out of the student's wand as she dodged and the balloon thrown at the caretaker soared into a coat of armor against the wall. Both balloons burst with a rather odd thud that drew the attention of the observers and near victims for a brief few seconds. The living beings were shocked to see that the poltergeist had stuffed the balloons with rocks. Their attentions were instantly yanked away from the rocks when the girl's spell crashed into the wall opposite of her causing the wall to explode into rubble.

The observers flinched from the loud noise and idly wondered if they should interfere or not. The caretaker had a different take on the matter.

"Hey, watch where you are aiming that thing you little brat!" Filch snapped. Before the girl could respond and Filch could catch sight of it a balloon slammed into the caretaker's face, bursting and covering his face with pink paint while the rock fell from his face. He cursed holding his forehead, where the rock had hit, with his right hand.

The poltergeist danced in apparent self-believed pride of what he had done. The girl pulled her arm back ready to throw another spell the terrorist's way.

"What is going on out here?" A loud female voice called out. The rest of the people jumped at the newcomer's arrival.

The old lady sternly glided into the hall. She stopped in between the tardy student and the group of visitors. The student halted what she was doing and pulled her arm down looking stuck between innocent and guilty.

"Peeves stole my robe." The girl tattled guiltlessly. The old lady, professor, glanced up at the poltergeist who was trying to sneak away. She narrowed her eyes and Peeves smiled as if he thought of something funny and floated down.

"Peeves," The professor growled out. The ghost smiled before shrugging.

"I don't know what the girl's talking about, I have no robe of hers!"

The professor's eyes flickered up to ghost's interesting hat.

"Is that so?" It was obvious that the professor had more to say but the ghost quickly began to float away.

"Toot-a-loo!" The ghost called over his shoulder.

Elaina thought of something as the poltergeist was floating away.

"Accio robe!" The robe flew off of the poltergeists head and into Elaina's outstretched hand. The girl flicked her wand with a quick scourgify before putting it on. As she put the robe on she told her side of the story to the Professor.

The onlookers, expecting some sort of punishment, were shocked to see when the professor merely shook her head and gave the girl instructions as to entering the great hall. The girl seemed rather nonplussed about the instructions. She walked over to the side of the doors and leaned against the wall giving the impression of listening to what was happening on the other side. The professor, satisfied with her work, hurried back into the hall.

Suddenly the signal was given for the groups to enter. First went the group dressed in blue and that housed many girls as members of the group. The doors opened and the group entered the hall in a synchronized manner showing that they had clearly practiced their entrance. Applause quickly followed. The doors closed after them leaving the late student behind with a group of, mostly boys, dressed in dulled red and an older man with wide streaks of grey running up and down his dark hair and beard. The girl quickly found her self in a glaring match with one of the boys. It didn't last long though for the older gent clapped his hands and the entire group sprung into action forming two lines. Not two seconds after they had formed and stationed the staffs in their hands did the great hall doors creak open. Instantly the group marched in and the girl could hear the clanking of the staffs simultaneously hitting the stone floor. She had the sudden wish to be in there witnessing the spectacle but the doors had already closed, so she couldn't discreetly sneak in, and the professor had specifically ordered her not to enter until the 'signal'-whatever that may be- was given.

She grew impatient. She could hear that the clacking was done, so the group was probably done, so where was this signal? She waited a few more seconds, figuring that the student body would wish to gossip a bit about the performance. Even after the few seconds given no signal was given. The girl had enough. She marched over to the doors and tried to push them open. They wouldn't budge! That teacher had barred the door. She kept pushing though. She barely even registered it when she could hear words as if she was already in there.

"…I am pleased to announce that after one year away, Hogwarts is finally able to welcome back Miss. Elaina Proe, who has fully regained her eyesight!" It suddenly went silent.

The silence was suddenly broken when the doors finally creaked open. Elaina stumbled a bit taken by surprise by the sudden leeway. She straightened up and looked around the Great Hall. Everything was as she could remember it, minus the new faces of two years worth of 1st years that she had not had the pleasure of watching being sorted. Every eye, even the ones of those who had not known her was focused on her. She fidgeted. Elaina gave a weak smile before heading to the Ravenclaw table and scanning for Peter. As she walked the student body began to clap louder and louder, a few even standing up. Elaina couldn't remember the last time that she felt so embarrassed.

At last she managed to spot Peter's head of brown hair. He was across from some girl-she looked to be about their age- and next to the largely female group of people who had been standing out in the hallway. There was an empty seat right next to him and his face was pulled into a very large grin and Elaina would almost venture a bet that he was clapping the loudest. Too bad she didn't bet.

Eventually the applause died down and Elaina quickly took her seat praying for no more recognition. She smiled at Peter.

"So Peter, are you going to introduce me to your lady friend here?" She asked teasingly. His face immediately lit up and he stumbled over his words. Elaina gave up on hoping for a response from him.

"Faye Aceline I presume?" Elaina stuck her hand out to shake. The blonde with short and spiked hair smiled and shook her hand.

"Elaina Proe I hear?"

"Yes."

"Wow, you're much cuter than what Peter said." Faye responded. "You may have to be careful; you may be battling away boys like they were flies this year!"

Elaina smiled.

"I doubt it, after all what boy would be interested in boring old me?"

Faye began chuckling at the sarcastic tone Elaina had taken. Elaina looked back over at Peter, his mouth was still moving up and down like a fish.

"Oh, close your mouth Peter! You're going to draw attention!"

* * *

><p>She was back. That was all that he could think. No, that was all that he wanted to think. He couldn't help but notice that her hair had grown out a little framing her face beaut—no, nicely. He shook his head. He did not want those thoughts. He did not care.<p>

"Hey Tom, looks like Proe's back." Malley stated.

Marvol merely threw an annoyed look at the blonde kid.

"She's not going to be a problem is she?" Malley elaborated.

"I don't see how she could be, even if she did stand in my way she would not be able to hold her own for very long. Don't you remember dueling club second year?"

Three of the boys smirked at the memory.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well that's Chapter five of "The Legendary." Sorry that it took so long.<strong>

**Also, I enjoy reviews! Please feel free to drop a comment or two.**


	7. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I do not, and will not ever, own Harry Potter.**_

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

Faye and Elaina became quick friends. So much so that once Peter came out of his stupor he rapidly tried to force himself into their conversations. The rest of the Ravenclaws might have been jumping in joy for their returned housemate if it wasn't for the two foreign schools with "hot" students roaming about the grounds.

Elaina didn't mind. In her mind, the less attention she got the better. Besides, the constant running of the Krum fans gave Elaina plenty of excuses to roam the castle alone. In her wanderings she found new passage ways and rediscovered old ones, she found rooms she didn't think even the staff was aware of and she found plenty of hiding coves to dodge the stampeding Krum fanatics.

There was only one place that Elaina never visited, much to her two friends' confusion. They accepted it though when they realized that she would have been avoiding two places instead. They decided to drop the subject until the day of their first defense class when the two friends, or rather the blonde friend, was overwhelmed by curiosity.

"Elaina, why do you avoid that bathroom" Faye asked ignoring the warning glare Peter threw her way.

No answer came for a length of time leaving only the feet to make any noise against the stone floor.

"I…" Elaina began to speak but had become down trodden. "I…just…I just have a bad feeling about the bathroom."

Faye waited for further explanation but none came. She looked toward Peter who solemnly shook his head before smiling and changing the subject.

"Elaina! How's your Aunt doing?" Peter asked cheerfully.

"Aunt?" Faye asked. "I thought Elaina was an orphan."

"Well she is, but for some reason she calls her foster mother Aunt, I don't really get it." Peter continued to explain as he and Faye went into the class room. They didn't notice how Elaina came to a stop in the doorway.

A minute or two passed before Elaina snapped herself out of the slump, put on a happy face and entered the classroom.

The classroom was darker from what she remembered. It almost made her miss the thousands of Lockhart faces staring at you but really only at themselves.

Peter and Faye had already sat down next to each other still unaware of their lagging friend.

"Alright…" A gruff voice called out. Instantly the room fell quiet.

Elaina quickly grabbed the empty seat next to the Patil twin, which one it was she didn't know- was Padma in Ravenclaw or was it Parvati- why couldn't she remember?

"Now I will have no horseplay, no talking and constant respect. Do anything out of order and you will be caught and punished!" He glared down each and every student.

The room was silent. Not one person had to guess at how they would be caught.

Moody eyed the entire classroom before he turned around took a drink from his flask and stuffed the flask back into his pocket. He picked up a crooked piece of chalk and began writing sharp letters on the small chalk board behind him. Elaina cringed at the ear-splitting screeching of the chalk on the board.

'CURSES'

Elaina read the board and froze. If the room hadn't been silent before, it was now.

Elaina stopped paying attention. All she saw was that one word written on the board and all she heard was the loud thumping of her heart against her ears. She didn't hear Professor Moody talking at all. Not until the Patil twin elbowed her and pulled her out of her thoughts.

Elaina stared at her. Her face was whiter than normal but she had a smile on.

"Are you okay?" Patil whispered.

Elaina nodded. "Yes, sorry. What's happening?"

She glanced toward Moody who was now hobbling over to a jar of some crabs-or were they spiders? Elaina looked back at the Patil twin waiting for an answer.

"He's…asking if anyone can name one of the unforgivable curses…" Patil's voice lulled as she spoke.

Elaina offered no response. Instead she turned apprehensively back toward the front.

"Anyone?" Moody's fake eye darted back and forth taking in everything around it while Moody played with the crab-spider forebodingly.

No one seemed to want to answer him. Some even tried sinking out of sight.

The fake eye suddenly stopped.

"You! Give me a curse." His cane made a loud clunking noise each time he limped to his target.

Elaina looked at the poor boy at the center of the mad professor's attention. She felt pity for the boy. After all, who in his/her right mind would want to admit to knowing of one unforgivable, let alone be under scrutiny by the madman.

"The…she…s…" The boy mumbled breaking eye contact.

"What was that boy?" Moody snapped. "Speak up. Speak up. The _entire_ class needs to hear."

The boy took a deep breath before mumbling:

"The…cru-cruciatus curse."

"The cruciatus." Moody boomed hobbling back up to the front. "The torture curse."

He turned and placed the crab creature on the first desk, right in front of Faye and her partner.

"Crucio."

All noise stopped. All time stopped. No one moved a muscle as they watched the crab contort into odd angles and screeched in excruciating pain.

Elaina didn't have to be next to, or in front of, that first table to know how tense and uncomfortable Faye was.

Finally Moody lifted the curse. The crab collapsed, either in death or in exhaustion, Elaina couldn't tell.

"A person could be driven to madness if put under the cruciatus for too long," Moody growled out. "The curse was used to interrogate or just to torture, now though, it is outlawed and no ministry personnel would be caught dead using it."

Moody hobbled down the right aisle as he spoke. He came to a stop at the fourth table back where two Hufflepuffs sat wide-eyed.

"Rare is it to find anyone who can withstand the cruciatus."

The two Hufflepuffs paled at the statement.

"How rare is it you ask?" Moody piped. "Rare enough you will likely never meet such a person in your entire life."

Moody didn't say anything for a while after that. Elaina almost wished Snape would barge in and give her another month of detention.

Moody suddenly focused his attention on the two Hufflepuffs in front of him.

"You," He growled. "Give me another curse."

The poor boy looked ready to die right then and there.

"Well," Moody demanded.

"The…Imperius curse." The Hufflepuff forced out.

"The Imperius curse. This curse places a person under complete control of the caster and are often able to achieve otherwise impossible feats…This curse caused the Ministry quite a bit of trouble at the end of the Wizarding War, when all of the accused claimed to be put under the curse by the Dark Lord."

Moody pointed his wand at the crab.

"Imperio!"

The creature picked itself up and made the should-be-impossible-leap from that first table to the table 3 tables back and one over. The crab began to do the can-can.

Elaina felt sick.

Moody called off the curse. Once again the crab collapsed.

"Now this curse is resistible. Although not many are publically known to be able to shake the curse off."

He paused as if contemplating something. Elaina feared for what that something might be.

"Would anyone care to see how they would fare against the imperius curse?"

No one raised their hands, though a few actually looked around as if challenging someone to step forward.

"No," Moody asked? "That's alright. My goal is just to demonstrate something of what you may be up against. Practicing a defense against some of these curses comes later."

He hobbled back up to the front of the room and dropped the spider back into the jar. He reached for another spider. The spider apparently knowing what was to come began scurrying to and fro trying to escape Moody's fingers.

Elaina felt her stomach drop into a pit.

"Who can tell me—," He limped back down through the rows. "—the final curse?"

His odd eye darted every which way until it landed on Elaina's still form.

Silently she prayed it wasn't actually looking at her.

Moody began to limp over to her table.

"How about you?" He growled forebodingly.

Elaina didn't dare try to hope that Moody wasn't addressing her, but she knew too well that he was. She stayed silent for a bit, wondering if it was at all possible for her to lie to a renowned former auror. She doubted it.

"Avada Kedavra…" She forced out. The people around her eyed her and Moody warily.

"The killing curse." Moody stated. He levitated the spider over to her table and set it down. Immediately the spider began to try and scuttle away but it didn't get very far.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light and the spider was no more than an empty shell-right there…in front of Elaina.

Elaina was frozen. She sat there staring wide-eyed and unsettled at the carcass. She was pale and she was unresponsive. No one, aside from her table partner, took notice of her discomfort. She continued to stare frozen at the spider even as Moody began to speak again. She didn't hear. While the other students pulled out their notes, Elaina sat there unmoving.

The green light replayed itself in her mind.

"…CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

Elaina jumped, snapping out of her daze. Moody was up front talking and actually teaching the subject.

Elaina scrambled to pull out her notes and a quill.

She forced herself to ignore Moody's magical eye that had stopped on her once again. She furiously scribbled down notes.

* * *

><p>Students filed out of the classroom, happily chatting away.<p>

"Did you see…?"

"Yeah, but when that spider jumped..."

All of the chatter was merry, as if they had just watched a circus and not the three unforgivable curses.

Elaina solemnly pushed her way past the gossiping students. She couldn't believe how excited her classmates were to have seen those terrible curses. Those spells weren't games! They were serious and could be the line between life and death!

Elaina spotted Faye leaning against a window frame staring out at the lake. Elaina walked down and leaned herself against the opposite side of the window frame.

Neither said a word for a minute or two. At last Elaina broke the silence.

"He shouldn't have shown us those spells." Elaina muttered.

Faye only nodded.

"Hey, are you all right?" Elaina felt worried.

Faye didn't respond for a while. At last she gave a weak smile and answered.

"I'm fine. But the better question is how are you?"

Elaina was taken back by the question. She chuckled.

"I'm fine, why do you ask?"

Faye shook her head.

"I saw your reaction, Elaina; it was full five minutes before you snapped out of your daze."

"I was taken by surprise, that's all. I didn't expect him to actually kill the spider! Besides it was done right in front of me! What if he had missed?"

Faye didn't look convinced.

"I asked around Elaina. Your face was paler than mine and according to Padma that is saying something." Faye gauged Elaina's reaction. Elaina just stood there frozen and staring blankly.

"Elaina, you weren't shocked, you were spooked."

Still there came no response.

"I don't know why you were that spooked Elaina, but it worries me," Faye calmly said.

This time the blonde waited for the redhead to respond. Time ticked by until finally, Elaina came to life smiling and happier than any other time that Faye had ever seen her.

"Well would you look at the time! Only four minutes to get to Potions! Wouldn't want to be late to class."

Elaina turned down the stairs. Momentarily stunned by the obvious avoidance of the issue a short few seconds passed before Faye quickly ran to catch up with her new friend.

As she ran, she marveled at the ease at which Elaina had avoided the question and how blatant she was about her discomfort.

The pair ran through the hallways and passageways, just barely managing to dodge the other students in the hallways.

Mr. Filch chased after them for a while yelling at them to stop but an explosion caused by the Weasley Twins managed to divert his attention. Elaina and Faye escaped unscathed.

The two didn't slow down until they were passing the Great Hall when they were forced to come to an abrupt halt to avoid crashing into a group of 3-4 boys.

Elaina's happy expression immediately fell, but Faye who had managed to pull some fun out of the chase took a bit longer to come down from her high.

"I…don't…" Faye panted resting her hands on her knees. "…think...the…run was… necessary."

"Marvol." Elaina greeted flatly.

"Miss. Proe," Marvol responded.

Faye snapped to attention.

"Excuse us; we were merely worried about getting to class on time." Elaina apologized coldly.

Marvol smiled.

"That is alright. It would hardly be a good impression to be late to class on the first day of classes!"

Marvol's group split and made room for the two girls to pass them. Elaina eyed Marvol warily as she thanked them and continued on her way to class. Faye more cheerily apologized and thanked the group before catching up with Elaina with more of a sprint to her step.

Marvol watched the two Ravenclaws disappear into the dungeons.

"Rather paranoid if you ask me," Nikolai mused.

"What?" Marvol snapped.

Nikolai flinched.

"Proe. She looked as if you were going to curse her for nearly running into you." Nikolai glanced at his two other friends, but they only smirked and gestured back to Marvol. "She looked as if she knew something that she shouldn't."

Marvol scoffed at the notion.

"I highly doubt that. After all, what have I ever done? Get her a month of detention that got cut short?"

Malley and Blake smirked in amusement.

"Still…" Strange pushed. "It may not mean as smooth sailing as we may hope."

Marvol patiently stood there listening to Strange make his case, but to anyone it was clear that Marvol was only putting up with the argument.

"—I just think we should be a bit wary of her."

Marvol smiled coldly.

"If anyone is to be wary of anyone, it is going to be that Miss Proe is wary of me."

Marvol finished his sentence and immediately strode in the direction of their next class.

* * *

><p>Elaina sat patiently in her seat fiddling with her quill as she waited for class to start. She didn't dare to look around in fear of meeting Faye's angry, inquisitive glare. She could already feel the glare bearing into her skull.<p>

Around her, she could hear students filing in. It was Potions with the Slytherins.

'_Oh joy,'_ Elaina thought.

Elaina probably would have been forced to sit next to Faye and suffer her questioning had Peter not beaten the two to the classroom, which was odd considering Elaina and Faye were five minutes early themselves and Peter was absolutely abominable at Potions.

For now, Elaina sat by herself.

The back door slammed shut and all went quiet, signaling the start of class. Snape glided up to the front, his black robe billowing out behind him.

He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the creaking of the back door.

Elaina turned her head to catch a glimpse of the perpetrators from the corner of her eye. It was Marvol and his lot.

"We are terribly sorry Professor!" Marvol apologized sympathetically.

Elaina rolled her eyes in disbelief and turned to face the front.

"We were-,"

"That is quite enough Mr. Marvol. Take your seats."

Elaina grimaced.

'_Same old Snape,'_ she thought.

A soft thud of books drew Elaina's attention to the empty seat to her left. Marvol slid himself into the seat.

Elaina groaned, not bothering to hide her displeasure.

"Come now Miss Proe, this is the last open chair and I'm really not that bad." Marvol whispered.

"Are you kidding me?" Elaina hissed. "Last time we were Potions partners you-."

"Miss Proe, do you have something you'd like to share," A cold drawling voice interrupted.

Elaina looked up to find Snape hovering angrily in front of their table. She silently cursed herself for sitting at the first table.

'_No wonder no one else sat up here.'_ She thought.

She scowled before answering.

"No sir, I was just reminiscing with Marvol over our last Potions class partner up."

Snape cracked his mouth open to speak, but before he could he finally took notice of Marvol sitting next to her. His mouth shut and for the first time in what Elaina could imagine was a long time, he looked genuinely shocked. That shock, however, quickly changed to critical examining.

Elaina was briefly allowed the notion to think that Snape would prevent her from being partnered with Marvol, but that notion was quickly bid to rest.

"Since you two seem so keen on working together I am sure you wouldn't mind sitting and working together for the rest of the year." It was clear that the statement was an order, not a suggestion.

Elaina groaned glancing over at Marvol. His face showed his own annoyance. That annoyance quickly faded away to a calm teacher's pet expression. She saw through it. Even if he didn't want anyone to see she had seen the clenching of his jaw.

Elaina looked back up front before she could be caught staring. Too bad Marvol had already noticed. He didn't say anything.

For the rest of the class Elaina and Marvol worked in silence. The end of the class could not come soon enough. At last, after showing a perfect potion, they were dismissed.

Elaina sprinted out of her seat and rushed to catch up with Faye and Peter.

"Hey!" She called out. "Wait up!"

They both stopped and looked back at her sympathetically.

As soon as Elaina caught up and the three were walking, the questions began.

"So how was working with Marvol?" Faye asked.

"I see you didn't grace the class with the spectacle of an exploding cauldron." Peter pouted.

Faye elbowed him sending him a sharp glare.

Peter glared right back rubbing his side before looking back at Elaina.

"Look at the bright side, sitting next to Marvol and working with him is probably a one time, or two-time in this case, thing," Peter stated not noticing the defeated look Elaina gave. "Marvol is rarely that late to class and surely after the incident in second year Snape wouldn't dream of partnering you two up!"

Elaina looked crushed.

"Snape is forcing us to work together for the rest of the year…"

Peter and Faye went silent and stared at Elaina in shock.

A couple of first years passed them, presumably on their way to Potions themselves.

"You can't be serious," Peter whispered.

"Surely this must be some sick sort of joke," Faye exclaimed. "I mean I wasn't there for the incident, but I have heard the horror story of what occurred. It doesn't make sense for-,"

"-It makes sense if Marvol is hiding something, he purposely screwed up the potion and Snape knows it," Elaina interrupted.

Peter burst out laughing.

"Come now Elaina, what could Marvol of all people be hiding? That he's You-Know-Who in disguise?"

Peter continued to laugh.

Elaina forced the anger she felt down before she answered.

"I don't know," Elaina muttered. "Marvol, he just gives me a bad feeling."

Faye looked at Elaina unsure what to say to her statement, but she at least had heard what Elaina had said. Peter was still too busy laughing.

He continued to laugh and laugh not realizing that each laugh drove a dull needle into Elaina's heart.

Elaina was able to hold in the pain until the reached that final corner they had to turn before they headed outside for Herbology. Then she just exploded.

"Well you shut up!" She shouted. A few passing students looked at her shocked before continuing. Peter took a while to slow his laughing, but he was still laughing with a wide smile on his face. "So what, what I say isn't important enough to even just pretend to take seriously? Is that it?"

"It isn't that…" Peter chortled out between laughs. "The idea is just so…so ludicrous; honestly, I think only a _girl_ could have created such a false notion."

"Peter!" Faye snapped.

Elaina went silent. She stared at Peter and then turned and quickly made her way to the greenhouse.

"What's got her knickers in a twist?"

* * *

><p>As Elaina sat in her seat she didn't listen to the professor. It was bad enough that Peter's words kept repeating in her head-<em> only a girl could have created such a false notion-<em> but now she felt like she was being watched. She glanced around hoping to catch whoever it was staring, but no such luck. Elaina gave a quick glare at a window. Whoever it was was probably outside the greenhouse and while she would love to catch whoever it was she didn't have the time.

* * *

><p>Marvol tapped his quill against his thumb, an uncharacteristic gesture for him.<p>

Defense Against the Dark Arts with Gryffindor. It was always _so much fun_.

Moody was going on and on about unforgivable curses. Odd curriculum in Marvol's opinion but he wouldn't be the one to complain. It meant an easy class for him.

Although there weren't _many_ spells that a simple Professor could teach him that he didn't already know…

"There is no counter curse. There is no cure. Once you are hit, you are dead." Moody barked.

Marvol's eyes snapped to attention.

"Only one person is known to have survived the curse…and he's sitting right in front of me."

Marvol instantly zeroed in on the mop of hair known to belong to a Mr. Harry Potter. Potter. The Gryffindor brat had been acting weird around Marvol ever since the second year. It was annoying. Marvol, without having done anything to the boy-yet- had some how become as hated by the brat as the Malfoy brat.

Marvol clutched his quill harder.

How a mere slip of a boy like him could survive the killing curse greatly vexed Marvol. He could not understand how such an impulsive and untalented boy could survive the killing curse let alone as a mere baby.

A series of curses that he could use on the boy flew through his mind as he squeezed his quill near to the point of breaking.

'_Then we'll see how he survives_.' Marvol thought.

He jumped slapping his hand over his slightly aching side. He glared at Blake.

Blake merely shook his head and subtly motioned to the Professor with his head.

Marvol understood. Get any more riled up and risk a showdown with Moody.

Marvol took in a few deep breaths calming him down. Once he felt calm, he allowed his mind to wander to other matters.

Proe. Se was back. Marvol wasn't sure how he felt about that. Aside from the regained sight, she was still just as he remembered. Fair skinned with light red hair that barely brushed the shoulders, of course she did look older-only causing headaches for Marvol. Strange and Malley had decided that she wasn't too bad looking and they couldn't wait to see how she would turn out over the next few years. Her eyes though, he swore, if he didn't already know that she was a mudblood he would have assumed she was related to the bumbling fool that was called headmaster. Marvol supposed that he should be glad she was only average-bordering on weak- in magical strength, instead of strong like that old fool.

'_Whatever,'_ Marvol thought. _'Her return means nothing and will not affect my plans.'_

* * *

><p>Elaina sat there staring at the paper for her Potions homework. She was supposed to write a two foot long explanation on the uses of dragon blood in Potions but she had absolutely no idea where to start. Logically she should just go get her Potions textbook out of her trunk, but she really did not want to travel all the way up those stairs.<p>

'_Dragon blood…dragon blood…,_' she thought. _"What the heck can dragon blood be used for? Probably something rare and hard to make…after all how easy can it be for wizards to extract dragon blood?'_

Elaina continued to stare blankly at the piece of paper, trying to ignore her slowly growing headache and the noise from the gossiping student body around her. She couldn't remember why she hadn't just gone to the Ravenclaw common room or the library to do her homework.

Suddenly a large group entered the Great Hall, their cheers successfully drowned out the noise from the rest of the hall. Either that or the rest of the hall had gone silent. Elaina looked up accepting the distraction from her paper.

The group was a bunch of Hufflepuffs with one Cedric Diggory in the lead. Diggory although appearing excited also seemed rather bashful, or was it apprehensive? Either way it was clear where the boy was headed.

In his hand he clutched a small slip of paper, presumably with his name on it. Diggory made his way to the goblet that sat between the teachers' table and the rest of the hall. Everyone went silent as the student crossed the age line and dropped his paper into the goblet.

Cheers erupted from the crowd of Hufflepuffs and a select others who were in the room.

Elaina stared at the Goblet thinking of what it meant. Adventure…horror…bravery…death-defying stunts.

_[Flashback]_

"_Eternal glory! Can you imagine it?' Peter asked enthusiastically._

"_Nope," Faye stated cheerfully. "Can't say I can!"_

_Both of them stared at Elaina awaiting an answer._

"_Hey don't look at me!" Elaina protested. "Deadly tasks and the sense of the unknown don't really appeal to me right now! Besides they've gone so far as to place an age limit! Even if we wanted to compete we can't!"_

"_Well, the Weaseley twins are trying to beat the system!" Peter whispered eyeing those around them. This only consisted of a group of first years. Oddly very few people were in the blue common room, usually there were more._

"_So what," Elaina responded flatly. "Whatever their plan is, it is not going to work."_

"_How do you know?" Peter snapped the anger clear._

_Elaina flinched at the intensity of Peter's anger._

"_That's right you don't!" Peter continued. "Those two are geniuses, when they want something! They may actually have a chance!"_

_Peter continued his rant. His eyes were blazing in fury looking ready to devour any that stood in his way._

_Elaina chocked. Images of a blonde girl, honey eyes blazing with fury and a promise of death flashed through her mind._

"…_of course if they do manage it, I would hope that they would sell their product, I'd buy it of course. I'd do anything to get a chance at the Triwizard Tournament!" Peter spoke in a more excited tone._

_This time images of a manic smile and the sounds of insane laughter and screams of pain flashed through Elaina's mind. She gritted her teeth and clutched her head with her right hand._

"_Stop it…" Elaina pleaded quietly._

"_Peter…" Faye tried butting in._

"_Of course if anyone could find a way around that age line it would—."_

"_Peter...," Faye tried again glancing worriedly at Elaina._

"_And—,"_

"_STOP IT!" Elaina screamed. _

_Peter and Faye both jumped in shock and stared at Elaina. Each saw a different thing. Faye, she saw emotional pain; Peter, he just saw a problem._

"_Excuse me." Peter bit out scathingly. "I didn't realize that the topic was forbidden __**Your Majesty**__._

_Not once did Peter actually stop to question Elaina's motives._

"_It's just some stupid competition Peter; it's not worth it for you to risk your life on!"_

"_You don't get it do you?" Peter snapped. "We're talking about eternal glory for the winner. Imagine what my parents would say if I came home a champion!"_

"_Imagine, what they would say if they heard that their __**underage**__ son was killed in a school competition!"_

_Peter ignored her and continued._

"_Of course you may not understand since you are orphaned and a mudb—."_

"_SHUT UP!" [/end flashback]_

Elaina stared at the Goblet. She couldn't figure it out. How could the boy who had helped her through her blindness and had always been so kind to her say such things? He just didn't know.

To be honest, it wasn't even the subject matter that had upset her, past reawaking some tough spots for her. He had insulted her. He had continued to insult her, calling her stupid, weak…a _mudblood_.

Elaina saddened at her thoughts and only became worse as she remembered past occurrences with Peter.

_[Flashback]_

_Elaina entered the common room and checked her radar. No one was there. Sighing she trudged over to one of the tables and sat down. Carefully she pulled out her clay._

_Being blind didn't leave much of what she used to do possible. So she had taken up clay without any of the tools. So far she could make a rock and what could be a much disfigured dog._

"_Elaina!"_

_She jumped and extended her radar to encompass the room. Peter had entered the room and was hurriedly walking toward Elaina. Elaina, panicked, quickly tried to hide the clay, but the damage was done._

"_Oh, you're working on another clay sculpture?" He asked finally reaching the table._

_Elaina-resigned to her fate- pulled the clay back out._

"_Yes." She responded._

"_I haven't seen you do that in a while." Peter remarked._

"_I kno—."_

"_I wonder why?" he glanced at Elaina. "Surely there must be a reason."_

"_There is," Elaina said shoving her misshapen clay back into its bag not caring if it was deformed further._

"_Maybe you're tired of the clay!" Peter exclaimed. "Is there something else you want to do? Would you like me to get it for you? Or do you just need help? I mean, your sculptures are truly inspiring, I've never seen anything better crafted!"_

"_There isn't." Elaina felt annoyance bubble up. She already knew where this was going._

"_I have a wizard's chess board upstairs and I am sure we could find someone to play against you and me!"_

"_Peter…"_

"_Or maybe you'd like help to your bed for a nap! Are you tired?"_

_Now the annoyance was a throbbing pain._

"_No Peter—," Elaina shouted, or at least she tried to, but she was interrupted again._

"_No? Maybe you want to work on regaining your sight more?"_

[/flashback]

Peter, as she remembered eventually did go silent enough for her to explain briefly how she didn't enjoy how he made her feel like a child. But he quickly picked up again before she could elaborate any further. She had protested but he kept going. It hadn't ended until Elaina finally walked out of the common room leaving Peter behind.

Elaina sighed. It had only plummeted after that. It had turned out that that was a fatal day to be around the library.

When she had awoken, Peter had appeared apologetic, but his over protectiveness had intensified.

Elaina couldn't help but wonder if Peter even recognized her as a capable individual.

"Elaina!"

She jumped spinning around to find Peter standing there with a very large smile on his face. She didn't answer. She didn't need to.

"Staring at the Goblet I see!" Peter's face radiated smugness making Elaina's stomach plummet. "I knew you agreed with me! All of those protests were simply put on for show!"

Elaina failed to muster a response as indigestion swelled up inside of her.

"Any ideas so far as to how to get our names into that goblet?" He asked his voice alight with excitement.

"I…" That was all that Elaina could force out.

"Of course…maybe you should opt not to try. We don't want you getting hurt again." Peter's gaze turned sad and contemplative.

Hurt. That's all Peter equated with her. To him, she was someone who could so easily get hurt. No matter how irrational the response may have been, Elaina felt hurt and angry. She gritted her teeth trying to contain her anger. She didn't see Faye desperately trying to catch her attention to try and calm her down.

"So I guess I'll try and find a way in and represent the both of us! What do you think Elaina?"

Peter looked around.

"Elaina?"

Elaina had already left.

* * *

><p>Elaina stood in the hallways staring blankly in front of her as tears occasionally leaked from her slightly red eyes. Hardly any student was out in the hallways yet but those few who passed only threw a quick glance her way and moved on.<p>

Elaina didn't care.

[Flashback]

"_Elaina run!"_

"_Elaina run now! This is too much for you!"_

"_Poor, poor Elaina…too weak to defend her parents, too weak to defend herself!"_

"_You're nothing but a weak little insect that doesn't deserve to even call herself a witch. You're no better than a muggle!"_

Was she weak?

[FB]

_She was unable to dodge, or to block the spell. The spell hit and she was sent flying through the air, only to stop when she hit the stone wall and stars danced the cucaracha in her vision._

Did she truly need constant protection?

_Elaina clutched her wand in front of her as her heart pounded. Slowly she turned ready to face whoever it was, but all she saw was lavender light and then nothing._

Elaina was yanked out of her thoughts when a solid object ran into her. She looked down at a small boy, brown hair in organized disarray. He was standing very nervously trying to stutter out something. Elaina took a moment before she was able to focus on what he was saying.

"…w-wasn't…I'll…r-r-r-really s-s-s-orry…t-t-t-….I…l-lost…d-d-didn't." The kid was really stuttering!

Elaina quickly tried to calm him down. She wasn't very good at consoling people though. She always managed to make them feel worse somehow.

"A-a-and…th-th-there…." He was still struggling to speak. Elaina stared at the kid amazed that someone so nervous could still be trying to speak and not simply run away.

"I…ah-ah-ah…." That kid was starting to look dazed. Elaina was starting to feel worried about his health. She snapped out of her daze and decided that she had better stop the boy now.

"It's okay." She smiled.

"A-and…I…w-wh-what?" The boy took a moment before he comprehended her words.

"It's okay; it is not like I was paying much attention either." Elaina reassured.

The boy gaped in awe. Elaina took a closer look at the boy. Ravenclaw. Weird she didn't really recognize him.

"You're a first year aren't you?"

The boy gave a quick nod.

"You don't know what happened to me?"

Another nod.

"You are in awe of Hogwarts and you are shy, but you are fairly intelligent."

Yet another nod.

"Do you have a name?" She asked.

The boy hesitated for a second before nodding. Elaina rolled her eyes.

"Well, what is it?"

The boy flushed bright red as he stared at his feet and mumbled something.

Elaina leaned down.

"What was that?"

"…." The boy mumbled again.

"I'm sorry but you are going to have to speak louder, I can not hear you." Elaina's kindly meant question only seemed to set the boy more on edge.

He gaped like a fish for a few minutes before he managed to force out some noises that could have been his name.

After another minute or two, the boy finally seemed to collect himself enough to spit out a name.

"Horatio Guilderstein." He looked like he was about to faint from even managing to speak without stuttering. Elaina really felt worried for the boy.

She smiled all the same as she answered.

"I'm…"

"Elaina Proe." Horatio blurted out, thoroughly shocking Elaina. She took a moment to answer.

"Wait, you told me you didn't know me."

"N-no, you asked if I knew what had h-h-happened t-t-to you, b-b-but I have heard y-your name." Horatio answered. Horatio's face turned scarlet and he began to fidget.

"You're a weird kid, you know that right?"

"S-S-sorry…" he mumbled out before trying to make a run for it. But in a spur of the moment decision, Elaina shot her hand out to stop the boy from escaping.

"It's okay. Now where are your friends? "Elaina questioned.

Instantly Horatio began to fidget even more-if that was even possible. He didn't even need to start stuttering out words for Elaina to reach some understanding.

"Come on, where are you going?"

He quietly stuttered out words that sounded like transfiguration. Elaina began to walk in the direction of the classroom.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your class.

Horatio stood there dumbfounded for a second before scurrying after her. He opened and closed his mouth trying to stammer out words. After a few minutes he gave up and the two lapsed into silence as they walked. Elaina blatantly ignored Peter when they passed.

After various twists and turns and one or two shortcuts the two finally reached the transfiguration room. Horatio quickly made a move to rush into the room.

"Horatio," Elaina said. He stopped and turned.

"You should really try to make at least one friend here; there are more than books and rules to life. So start talking to some people. It will make your school experience less boring.

* * *

><p>The four sat in an empty classroom sitting on the tables, in the chairs or leaning against the wall. No matter where they were stopped, the spot was sure to be layered in dust.<p>

"What do we do now Tom?" Malley asked. Blake and Strange stared at him in shock before darting their gazed back and forth between Marvol and Malley.

Marvol twitched in annoyance.

"What you do is to continue to dig up as much information as you can. Things are happening this year, and I want to make sure that whatever those things are that they don't interfere with the master plan."

"But Proe—."

"Means nothing!" Marvol snapped. "She is nothing; I fail to see why you insist on bringing her up as a potential threat! The only people we have to worry about are Potter and Dumbledore."

"Are you sure Tom?" The way Malley spoke was like he was desperately trying to dance on point. "I mean, it's just that, ever since Proe has gotten back there is a different sort of air about her. It makes me feel like she could actually be a viable threat."

Marvol didn't respond. He just glared as he moved toward the doorway. He stopped and over his shoulder called out.

"Dismissed."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Light flashed across the sky. Not one ray of that light, though, reached the room. She only heard. She had no idea where she was. She had no idea if she was alone. She had no idea how she got there. But she was sitting, on something soft, though her arms rested on what felt like stone.<strong>_

_**Suddenly light burst from four corners of the room, temporarily blinding her. It didn't take long to adjust to the little light from the four flames. The room was circular. There were four chairs, including hers. She could see no one else. Just the tops of chairs.**_

* * *

><p><em>AN: Took a long time, but the new chapter is finally up. Not sure how happy I personally am with this chapter. But please! Please review I would love some feed back!<em>


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:**** I do not and will not ever own Harry Potter all characters (save for the ones that I have created ex. Elaina) belong to J.K. Rowling**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

KABOOM! The room shook from the force of the explosion, a few bits of stone fell to the floor and the ceiling and walls quickly began to repair themselves. But it was only seconds later when another explosion disturbed the peace and sent more stone flying.

"Damnit!" Elaina screamed while pacing back and forth.

* * *

><p>"<em>Miss Proe, I regret having to tell you this, but there has been an accident."<em>

* * *

><p>Elaina sat down in the lone chair holding her head. Aggravated she shot back up and seconds later, with a flick of her wand, another statue exploded.<p>

She quickly made her way to the wall and leaned against it.

"Why?"

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm surprised to see you here."<em>

_Elaina gave a weak smile as she responded._

"_I don't think that I am __**that**__ angry."_

* * *

><p>Elaina straightened up and began pacing once again.<p>

"Why do I care so much? Why do I feel guilty? It's not my fault!"

* * *

><p>"<em>Elaina GO!"<em>

"_But-"_

"_No buts! Just go!"_

* * *

><p>Elaina stopped for a minute realizing the reason before collapsing on the chair that had appeared. Lost in her thoughts, all she could do was stare off into space.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>They don't know what exactly happened, but they don't think it was a complete accident."<em>

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Well I don't know what the spell was but it sounds like the intensity of the spell depends on the intent of the caster, stacked on top of the fact that whatever the spell was it is dark and __**highly**__ illegal. If it was an accident then the injuries would not be nearly as bad, actually nonexistent."_

* * *

><p>Elaina just knew that the cast spell was cast on purpose. No genius was needed to know that. So why were they bothering to speculate.<p>

Elaina groaned, burying her head in her hands.

'_I need…I don't know exactly what, but I need something….'_

She lifted her head and froze. In front of her stood a doorway.

* * *

><p>The door slammed open, revealing a pair of blazing eyes and a string of malicious curses.<p>

"I cannot believe the nerve of these aurors! How _dare_ they imply that I am behind this attack!"

Bored eyes merely followed the fuming figure.

"How **dare** they accuse Abraxas Malf—."

"It went well I presume?"

Abraxas gave the person a scathing glare.

"Well? Well!? 'Well' is when you have people crawling around kissing your feet and eating out of your hand! 'Well' is not being accused of something that, for once, you did not do!"

Another person chuckled.

"What are you laughing at Blake?"

"Nothing, it's just that you have actually done worse things, and you are getting more worked up now than any other time." Alphard joked.

Abraxas' eyes nearly exploded in rage before he threw his head back and groaned.

"Innocent of this mess! Merlin, if only we weren't here I could have those fools at my feet begging for mercy!"

Alphard and the first fellow both rolled their eyes.

"I HATE THIS TIME PERIOD!" Abraxas shouted.

A couple of students, a few years below them in grade, jumped from their seats, unable to take it any longer.

The three remaining wizards watched them disappear.

Alphard was the first to turn away his gaze and look back at the fuming blonde.

"I believe the agreement was; "You slip up, you fix-up."

Abraxas glared right back.

"You think you're _so_ smart don't you?"

Alphard's expression darkened.

"But he is right," the third voice piped in. Abraxas and Alphard both swapped their gazes to Marvol. "Abraxas, you need to go hunt down those first years, we can't risk attention being brought to us."

"Yes milord." Abraxas mumbled clenching his fists.

The door slammed open revealing an older man, bald with a hunch and a beard hanging down to the floor. He scanned the hallway before landing his ice-cold stare on the three standing there.

"Haven't I interviewed you lot already?"

Marvol smiled as he answered.

"Yes sir, we were just waiting for our friend Abraxas here."

The old man scanned the corridor once again, grumbling to himself.

"Coulda' sworn…," His eyes snapped back to the three. "You wouldn't 'appen t'know if there…."

"No, sir, the corridor was empty when we got here!" Marvol feigned a mask of innocence.

Abraxas and Alphard followed suit with innocent smiles of their own.

"Humph…" The man gave one last suspicious stare at the three fourth years before retreating back into the room slamming the door behind him.

Immediately Abraxas took off.

Alphard and Marvol both turned serious and began walking away.

"The next meeting?" Alphard trailed off.

"Tonight, we'll discuss our next step."

* * *

><p>The soft creaking of the door drew Faye's tired gaze from the bed. Almost immediately she gave a start at who it was walking toward the bed.<p>

Elaina gave a smile at her startled friend as she came to a stop at the foot of the bed.

Once out of her shock Faye gave a small smile of her own.

"I am surprised to see you here again." Faye stated.

"Just thought I should stop in again to get the facts a bit clearer," Elaina explained. "Unfortunately, I am having a bit of trouble remembering all that you have told me."

"Why don't I entirely believe you Elaina?" Faye's eyes narrowed.

If Elaina was any other person she was sure she might have melted, or flinched at the very least, from the sheer power of the glare. But she just responded.

"So maybe I had to vent a little before I could come here again…"

Faye smiled. This time it was Elaina's turn to narrow her eyes at Faye.

"You know…" Elaina started. "I really don't like that mischievous glint in your eyes."

"I didn't know you still cared so much."

Elaina felt her eye twitch as she felt suspicion rankled its chains.

"Probably not as much as you may think."

"Elaina and Peter sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-."

"—Really? That's mature…."

"First comes love then—."

"Would you stop that?"

But Faye kept on going ignoring Elaina's various protests.

"Is there an idea of when he may wake up?"

"—Baby in a baby carriage!" Faye finally finished her second round of the rhyme and while there was still a smirk pulling dangerously at her lips she turned serious.

"Unless they figure out what exactly 'it him, they can't say for certain. And at the rate the aurors are going 'e may wake up before they figure it out."

"I thought aurors were trained to investigate this stuff." Elaina stated scanning the prone form for any sign of movement.

"They are, but they usually 'ave more to go on. So far all they 'ave is an unconscious victim. There are no witnesses, no outward or obvious signs of a duel, nor is there clear signs of only a certain spell or curse. They are pretty much stabbing in the dark."

"Hmm…" Elaina stared thoughtfully at the bunk.

"Now don't you go getting that look Miss. Elaina Proe." Faye reprimanded.

Elaina looked up at her.

"What look?" Elaina was honestly confused but Faye's narrowing eyes said that she didn't believe her.

"That look! _THAT_ look!" Faye hissed. "The look that I saw _all_ last year when I was pretty sure that the 'Golden Trio of Hogwarts' were up to something!"

"I am not 'up' to anything Faye, don't you worry." Elaina sighed and stepped away from her place at the end of the bed. Faye watched with suspicious eyes. "I do, however, have some homework to finish up in the library, so I better get going."

Elaina turned and walked away, forcing herself to ignore the gaze focused solely on her as she left.

* * *

><p>Marvol attempted to relax his shoulders. He had managed to shake off the two followers back at the Great Hall. Malley was busy chasing down those kids and Blake had managed to get distracted by the girls from that French school-Baxbatons, Bowbattes or something like that.<p>

The solitude gave him more time to think and by think it was turning out to be just that he remembered a homework assignment due in two days that he had put off.

He made a beeline straight for the library. He was going to go there, find the books he knew would be there and get his paper done with plenty of time before the show.

Marvol glided through the library entrance and made his way directly to his favorite spot only to find it already occupied.

Grimacing he slid into the seat directly across.

"Gaul's book of Dark Curses," He read. Blue eyes snapped up at him in shock. Her eyes really were quite stunning, it was a pity that they were the only worthwhile thing to look at on her. After a few seconds pause he continued. "Not something I would have expected you to be reading."

"Sitting across from me somewhat civilly, not something I would expect to see you doing, Marvol." The blue eyes returned to the book in hand.

"Tom."

Blue eyes snapped up to meet equally surprised stormy eyes.

"What?"

Marvol hesitated a little, shocked that he had blurted such a thing out on such a whim.

"Tom, call me Tom." He didn't bother to add any of the pleasantries that were considered normal.

"Marvol why on Earth would I call you by your first name? _We are not on good terms._"

Marvol just stared silently at her clearly expecting her to change her statement.

Elaina gritted her teeth and shook her head.

"Never mind." She returned to her book choosing to ignore Marvol's rising annoyance.

Marvol sighed, attempting to ease his growing emotions.

"I honestly don't see what is wrong with you calling me by my first name, it is a perfectly good name."

"It is a perfectly good name that I would use **if** we were on better speaking terms, but as I said before, and I apparently cannot stress enough, we are not on good terms!"

When it became clear that that was all she was going to say Marvol bristled at the girl's blatant refusal to acknowledge his authority. He was even about to open his mouth to retort when he was rudely interrupted by the Ravenclaw girl who 90% of the male student body fancied themselves in love with.

'_Sure she was pretty but she certainly…"_

"Elaina!" The girl called out cheerfully.

'_Sure she was pretty but she was certainly not very powerful, nor did she have a drop of cunning to her name. Neither was she gorgeous enough to deserve the sheer amount of attention she received."_

"Cho! What brings you here? Do you have some last-minute studying to do yourself?" Marvol watched amazed as Elaina's expression immediately changed and it was like he was not there at all. He did not like it.

"I heard that you cooped yourself up in the library and with Peter in the hospital and Faye glued to his bedside, I figured that you could use a friend to drag you away from the books and to the first round of the Triwizard Tournament!"

Elaina seemed to take a moment before realization sunk in.

"That's today?" Elaina exclaimed.

Cho began to laugh.

"Of course it is, don't tell me that you had forgotten."

"I am afraid that I had." Elaina sheepishly rubbed the back of her head.

Instantly Cho's hand shot out and grabbed hold of Elaina's arm and before she or Marvol knew what was happening she was out of the chair and disappearing from the library.

Finally alone, Marvol turned his attention to the piles of books Proe had collected.

'_Dark…Dark…again Dark.' _

Marvol stared at the book in hand through narrowed eyes.

All of the books were on Dark Curse, spells and the likes.

'_How on Salazar's basilisk did __Proe__ get her hands on a note to the restricted section for this?'_

Marvol carefully set the book down and resting his chin on his two thumbs and his nose on his clasped hands he leaned on the table and silently pondered the possibilities.

Who knew that the Ravenclaw little Princess had the nerve to read such material.

* * *

><p>Cheers erupted from the expanded pitch, shaking the wooden stands enough that were they not magically enforced they would have fallen down like the old London Bridge. Most didn't mind the noise. But for those few, not nearly as exhilarated by the event, the noise was deafening and the crowding in the stands was nauseating. Hands were thrown up in the air, vocal cords strained and hats of all sorts of designs peppered the stands.<p>

Down near the bottom a couple of Slytherins prowled about advertising their various 'Potter Stinks' merchandise.

Elaina longed to sink into the bench below her but she knew that if she even attempted to do she would be shut up down there and completely unable to return to her feet. But at the same time her feet ached, her ears pounded and she was considering how down there may actually be quieter.

The noise steadily got louder as students and teachers spilled into the stadium. It was as if there was a switch at the entrance to the stands that turned the screams on to full power. Elaina's eardrums grew louder in pounding with each student that entered.

'_Why couldn't people be quieter_?'

Elaina held her hands up to her ears cupping them in a sad attempt to dull the noise. It. Wasn't. Working.

'_I don't really __**have**__ to watch….'_

Slowly she began to straighten up and slid to her right and toward the stairs. But almost instantly she ran into a rather soft wall.

'_What? I could have sworn….'_

Shocked her eyes snapped to her right where one Tom Marvol had suddenly materialized.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it!"<p>

"What did you say?"

"…I SAID I can't believe it!"

"I'm sorry, but are you even trying to say something?"

Strange slapped his hand to his forehead. Of all the idiots at all the places that he had to be saddled with, he just had to be stuck with Blake.

"I SAID—."

Malley, unnoticed by the raging brunette, pulled his wand out and with a set of muttered words a soft light flashed before disappearing into a sort of bubble around the three boys.

"I SAID THAT YOU ARE AN UNBELIEVABLY STUPID IDIOT!" As soon as he finished his statement, Strange flinched back from how clear his words had suddenly become. He turned to glare at the blonde.

"Now, you think of doing that."

"And you couldn't?" Malley snapped sinking into the glaring match between him and Strange.

Blake looked between the two with a wide smirk on his face, before deciding that he better step up to breaking the silence.

"So what is it that you absolutely can**not** believe Nicki?"

Strange gave a start, easily tearing his eyes away from Malley in favor of staring at Blake.

"You...You….You…I cannot….Don't call me that!"

"I can't be—YOU HEARD ME YOU—YOU—YOU—."

"I knew you were strange Strange, but I didn't realize that you were slow." Blake joked, eyes blazing with triumph at his ability to poke fun at the boy.

"Why—."

"Honestly, I would think that even you would be able to tell when someone is purposely poking fun at you Strange." Malley drawled.

Strange spun around at Malley looking ready to explode at any given moment. He stood there spluttering, unable to provide any evidence that he knew how to speak English, or any other known language for that matter.

Blake watched amused, waiting for what Strange's reaction would be. But to his disappointment Strange seemed to cool down as he turned around and faced the pitch. None of them noticed the flicker around them. Taking deep breaths he began to speak.

"I can't believe, that he ditched us for **her**!" Strange snapped.

Malley and Blake looked down at Marvol and Proe.

"I mean, he saw us, we **all **know that he did!" Strange ranted. "He nodded to us!"

Glances were thrown his way, but none said a word. Malley, though, was the first of their group to decide to say something.

"Maybe he sees something in her, she really isn't _that_ bad in the looks department."

No one responded at first. Then all three burst out laughing. After a few minutes, the laughter slowly dimmed down to a memory, and wiping his eyes of tears Malley continued off of his earlier statement.

"Okay, Okay, she's not really a looker, she rather plain and her hair, does she even do anything to it?" Malley joked. "It's like she just dunks her head in a tub of water and air dries it. But honestly, she's better than that mudblood that hangs around Potter that you've got to admit!"

Laughter once again burst from the three of them.

* * *

><p>Elaina stiffened at the laughter. Contrary to their beliefs, she had heard. She had heard everything. At least, everything dealing with her. Sure she didn't spend an hour on her hair every morning like many other girls. But she was more concerned about other things in her life. So what if it naturally repelled male attention. So what…<p>

The comfortable silence that both she and Marvol had elapsed into quickly took a turn for a more awkward and tense atmosphere than was typically normal.

She would forget it.

* * *

><p>He was going to kill them. No. He was going to torture them as painfully as possible, with all the curses at his disposal, <em>then<em> he was going to wring their pathetic necks with his bare hands.

Did he not teach them better? Did he _not_ specifically instruct them _**not**_ to draw attention? Was lying low and being supposedly nice little Slytherins **NOT** part of their instructions?

He was going to kill them.

What kind of fools would not cast a Muffliato or _some other spell_ to stop others from over hearing? Especially when they were _six rows back_ in a crowded area_._

Marvol gritted his teeth. It wasn't that he cared that Proe was clearly bothered by the comments based off of the tenseness in her shoulders or her body language. But that they weren't showing a shred of common sense bothered him. Past that they also appeared to be making fun of him at the same time.

Now what would be the best way to punish them? What way indeed?

* * *

><p>Elaina walked away from the stands dazed and with ears ringing. She hadn't stuck around to discuss the challenge with anyone.<p>

Dragons. The first challenge had been dragons. If Elaina had any doubts before those doubts all but disappeared. **Someone** was out to get Potter. But the question was who?

'_Whoever it was must be pretty disappointed,' _Elaina thought._ 'Potter survived.'_

Elaina continued her way up to Hogwarts trying desperately to empty her mind of all thoughts, she could still remember the words those three idiotic Slytherins had said. Out of nowhere though a thought struck her.

What if? What if whoever it was wasn't hoping for Potter to die in the first round? What if whoever it was, was waiting for a later round? After all, why bother going through the trouble of getting an underage wizard's name into the goblet only for him to die in the first round when there were various other, easier ways to do him in?

Elaina shook her head and tried to ease her churning gut. She felt certain about two or three things. Potter did not put his name in the goblet, someone was campaigning for the death of Harry Potter, and something big was going to happen this year at Hogwarts. Something bigger than any other occurrence of the past 3 years that Hogwarts students have ever experienced.

* * *

><p>"I don't understand why you seem so attached to her all of a sudden, milord." An annoyed voice broke the comfortable silence the four of them had adopted.<p>

"Why does it matter, so much who our lord hangs with Strange?" Blake answered.

"Why does it matter? Why does it matter? She's a mudblood Blake! Or have you forgotten?"

"That's kind of a hard thing to forget when you constantly remind us of that fact almost every other day." Blake snapped.

"I'm starting to wonder if you have a _thing_ for Proe Strange." Malley commented.

Strange turned beet red sputtering out syllables that may or may not have been parts of words.

"Either way it does not matter who I choose to bother as a result of boredom." Marvol interrupted drawing all three's attention. "She is merely a way to pass the time."

And for once in their years knowing each other, those three felt like they could honestly believe his words. But one still narrowed his eyes.

* * *

><p>The weeks leading up to the end of term passed quickly and soon the news of the impending ball filled the minds of every person. Girls gossiped in the corners, many hoping for the attention of the Bulgarian quidditch player, others hoping for any of the champions. Boys walked around either trying to avoid the annoying threat of getting mobbed by girls, or worrying about who they might ask to go to the ball with them.<p>

Personally Elaina was trying to avoid all of it. She had considered going to stay with Aberforth for the winter holidays, but he was only in Hogsmeade so she saw no real point. Besides, if she went she would have to work the entire break and she was looking forward far too much to the break from schoolwork to want to do that. But she also wasn't big on balls and dancing.

First though, she had survive the rest of term; after all, not all the teachers were showing mercy enough to reduce the schoolwork. Snape and McGonagall were the biggest culprits.

Currently however, Professor Sprout had decided to saddle Elaina with an errand.

"I still don't see why you refuse to call me by my first name."

"And I don't see why you insist on bringing that up, let alone talk."

That shut him up.

* * *

><p>Marvol felt his anger threaten to break free of his meticulously kept control. He had decided awhile back that he should try to be as civil as possible for the duration of his stay, but it was like every person he talked to, just <em>knew<em>, even though that was impossible.

He had called the people he grew up around stupid but _here…_here they were practically morons. The majority of the people _here_ were definitely stupider than _his_ people. It was probably because of that pretentious, over paranoid oaf that people called headmaster. How he got that position was rather obvious, no matter how much it put Marvol off.

Upon realizing the straying of his thoughts and anger, Marvol quickly reeled in his anger. There was no real point and it was easily fixed. All he would have to do is stop talking to Proe and avoid that pretentious fool as much as possible. That was easy enough. And this trip was only a short errand assigned to the two of them by Sprout, _for whatever reason._

He was pretty sure, that despite her weak nature, Proe was capable of running one, little, quick errand to the potions master. But no, he just had to go with her.

There went his temper again, he forced it down.

* * *

><p>Ever since they had left the greenhouse, Elaina had been tossing rather ludicrous ideas of how to lose Marvol. She did not need, nor did she <strong>want,<strong> his company on this one errand, but each idea was tossed to the side. But as they continued, the idea of transfiguring a portion of the floor into a piranha tank so Marvol would fall in was becoming more and more appealing as she saw and felt Marvol switch back and forth from anger to calm and back to anger again. Normally she could ignore someone's anger but Marvol, his felt murderous, as if one wrong move or word would send him on a killing rampage.

Elaina quickly glanced at the doors. They had entered the dungeons a little bit ago so the door they were approaching easily brought relief to Elaina's system.

"We're here."

Marvol snapped his harsh gaze to her, narrowed his eyes and then glanced at the door. No further response. He merely walked up to the door, knocked and entered.

He was apparently still steaming. Elaina scurried in after him.

"Why are you interrupting my class Mr. Marvol?" Snape drawled instantly dropping from his lecture. Based off of the smoking cauldron up front one of the students had done something wrong. Which meant Snape was already in a bad mood. Not good.

"Our apologies Professor, but Professor Sprout sent us with some flitterbloom for you."

Elaina, having stepped out from behind Marvol glanced at him amazed at his ability to quickly hide his angers behind a civil mask. She glanced back at Snape. He had suddenly gotten a certain gleam in his eyes. She felt queasy about that look. He motioned them forward and gestured to the table up front.

"You can place them there," He drawled.

Elaina sent a pleading look and Marvol and in a rare moment of mercy he understood her and accompanied her to the front. As they passed Snape, who stood at the center of the room, he began to speak.

"I believe," He began. "We had made a deal."

'_A deal?' _Elaina thought._ 'When does Snape ever make deals?'_

"If Philligan here, managed not to blow up a potion for _three_ days I would show you Veritaserum and its effects."

Elaina slowly placed the basket of flitterblooms on the table suddenly feeling wary of what Snape was to say. She glanced at Marvol. His face appeared blank, but she noticed a glint of worry in his dark eyes. They began to turn.

"I do believe, that against all odds, Philligan has managed to keep disaster at bay for _three_ days." Elaina and Marvol began walking back toward the door. "I was going to ask for a volunteer or two…"

Elaina had a feeling she knew what Snape was trying to get at. She and Marvol sped up. But right as she and Marvol split to move around the potions master his hands snapped closed around bunches of their robes and pulled them back before they got away.

"…But I am sure that Proe and Marvol here would be _ecstatic_ to volunteer themselves."

Elaina could see a mixture of smirks and pitying glances amongst the crowd of Sixth years. Diggory even looked ready to butt in. Elaina wished he would, but not even a dragon would challenge the Potions professor.

"Actually Profess—." Elaina didn't get to finish as Snape pushed her and Marvol onto separate stools toward the front while sending them a glare challenging one of them to test him. Elaina snapped her mouth shut as he disappeared. She was fairly certain that this should not be allowed forcing students-not even part of the class-to be test subjects, but Elaina would not try to challenge the professor.

'_At least, Snape's a potion's master-one of the best," _Elaina tried comforting herself_. 'There is no way he would screw up a potion.'_

Looking around the room Elaina saw students everywhere sitting at the edge of their seats waiting, just waiting for whatever was going to happen to happen. A few of the girls, Elaina noticed were staring at Marvol. She followed their gazes and observed Marvol. The first thing she noticed was that he seemed to be debating something, but glancing back at a few of the girls she highly doubted that had anything to do with it.

She turned to take a closer look but before she could a small and cold object was forced into her hand and out of a reflex she gripped it. She looked down at small vial that at first glance appeared empty. She looked back up, where Snape, having handed Marvol his vial, had swept back to the center of the room.

"Now, Veritaserum is a very potent truth potion, ask the person under its influence and you should get the honest answer."

Elaina began to pale.

'_So that's what the truth potion is called._'

"While it is possible to resist the effects of the potion, without the antidote it can be very difficult."

'_Surely he isn't actually going to make us…'_

"This potion is also heavily controlled by the Ministry, and very hard to concoct. You shall not be learning such a potion. Now Marvol, Proe, drink the potion.

Marvol after a few seconds of brief hesitation downed the three drops worth of the potion. Elaina took longer staring at the vial before going ahead with a leap of faith and drank her portion. At first it seemed as if nothing had happened but then she began to feel a sort of tingling feeling, and then nothing.

"We'll start with something easy. Mr. Marvol, what is your name."

"Tom—," Marvol hesitated for a second, catching the attention of only the teacher and Elaina. "Marvol."

All Elaina could think was crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. She didn't stop to question Marvol's hesitation to answer fully and she didn't hear Snape trying to get her attention. After a few seconds though she managed to snap out of it and she stared warily at Snape's expecting gaze.

"I'm sorry sir, could you repeat that please?" Elaina's voice quivered, not something that normally happened but she had something to worry about now.

Snape's gaze narrowed. Elaina became fearful that he was going to deduct points simply because she was not paying attention, but he merely growled out the question again.

"What is your name Miss. Proe?"

"Elaina—," This time it was Elaina's turn to hesitate for a brief second. "Proe."

Snape just nodded at his students that were now staring at him excitedly.

A girl, hufflepuff by the looks of it, stood up and addressed Marvol.

"T-Tom…the Yule Ball is coming up and…I w-was w-wondering if you w-would like to g-go to the ball with m-me?" The girl's face was beet red. If Elaina hadn't known better she might have thought that the girl was holding her breath in tantrum but the girl was probably embarrassed, not to mention nervous.

Suddenly the girl's words caught Elaina's attention. She wanted to go to the ball with Marvol. Why?

"No." Elaina snapped her gaze to Marvol at his curt response. His face, although he looked sincere in his refusal, appeared pale. Elaina looked back at the hufflepuff. She had instantly deflated and even looked close to tears. Her friends, though looking triumphant and hopeful, rushed to console her. Other girls shot their hands up eager, Elaina was guessing, to try their luck.

Elaina turned to look closer at Marvol, wondering why girls would be so determined to ask him to the Yule ball. Maybe they were just desperate. All she could see was a calculating gaze and a bit of hair curling away from his usually pristinely greased down hair. They must really be—."

"Proe, you may think you have the time to ogle Mr. Marvol, but I assure you if this class stays over time then Ravenclaw will be missing as many points as seconds we spend here."

Elaina snapped to the back sure that a slight blush was making its way up to her face. Shaking she pushed it down.

A ravenclaw, two years ahead of Elaina, caught her attention.

"Elaina, is yellow your favorite color?" The kid smiled, apparently trying-and failing to make her feel more at ease.

Elaina scrambled to remember his name as she answered.

"No." No such luck. The kid was nameless as far as she cared.

The questions continued and Elaina continuously grew more bored with every inquiry posed. Every girl had asked Marvol to the ball, at least twice and all that Elaina got was; "Is your favorite color…?" She couldn't figure out why they never said blue.

'_When will this potion wear off?'_

"Marvol, every girl in here has asked, and has been turned down, is there any girl that you would even _consider_ taking to the Yule ball?" The sound of a male Hufflepuff beating all the other girls to the question brought Elaina out of her daze. The reaction was obvious among the audience. Previously distraught girls were at the edge of their benches waiting for his answer. Guys, simply waiting for the female reaction after the revelation, sat with perked ears waiting for the answer.

Elaina glanced at Marvol. He was shockingly still, and looked as if he was trying desperately to fight the potion. His face, against all odds, was turning a shocking red. At last his mouth opened and he gave his answer.

"Yes."

Murmurs and giggles filled the room as girls began to speculate who the lucky girl might be.

"She must be Slytherin," Elaina heard one girl scoff. She heard another girl giggle over the possibility that it might be her friend who would be so over joyed. All Elaina could think was that these girls surely already had dates, it being so close to the ball already.

"Who is this girl?" A Ravenclaw boy had apparently gotten the brilliant idea to take it a step further and actually ask the dreaded question. A quick glance at Snape revealed that he had grown rather bored at the shenanigans.

Marvol, though, looked paler than before and was probably fighting against the potion's hold, even as he forced out the answer.

"E…Elaina…P…Proe…"

Elaina froze in shock just as the entire room went silent at the revelation. If a pin were to drop, Victor Krum's parents would be able to hear it all the way in Bulgaria. If glares were lethal, Elaina would be a pile of dust. As Elaina sat there, silently pleading to escape the attention, she felt a cool sense wash down through her body. The potion was finally wearing off.

Suddenly a Hufflepuff girl, probably the only one who wasn't glaring at Elaina at that moment, hopped up.

"You should ask her to be your date!"

* * *

><p>"Ask."<p>

"Ask."

"Ask."

Marvol cursed the potions master over and over in his head, and he cursed the damn potion as the class erupted into chants calling for him to ask Proe. Vaguely he could feel the cool sensation of the potion disappearing from his system, but even that wasn't enough to relieve him. If he were to be honest, the only reason why he had considered Proe that one second a few weeks ago was because, as much as she already annoyed him, he could stand her better than any of the other twits at Hogwarts. But he had given up on the idea.

He glanced over at Proe. She was pale and she seemed anxious to get out of the classroom if her heavy staring at the door was any indication. He glanced over at Snape. Surely the teacher didn't…no Snape didn't care.

"Ask."

So the cheers continued. Marvol ran his options through his head. He could politely turn down the notion. Surely that wouldn't be too hard, but he didn't really feel like charming his way out of this situation, oddly enough. Or he could suck it up and just ask Proe already. After all, he doubted she'd be that much of a hassle. She would probably wear some plain-looking dress and he and she would easily blend into the crowd. Marvol smiled. Now there was an idea.

Marvol stood up and faced Proe. Immediately the audience quieted to hear as much as possible.

"M—Elaina, would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"No."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Review=definite continuation of story<strong>


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do NOT OWN Harry Potter**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 8<span>

"Has anyone seen Blake?"

Marvol glanced over at Strange and his date, some Hufflepuff girl who had agreed to go with him at the last-minute.

"Haven't seen him since he left to go pick up his date." Malley answered, sipping his glass of punch. Malley's date, a third year Slytherin pure-blood- was a few feet away giggling away with her friends.

Strange huffed, glancing around searchingly. Meanwhile, his date, a Natalie Stillwater, tried desperately to pull Strange away to dance.

"You would think that Blake, of all people, would be boasting about who he had managed to hunt down to be his date, but oddly enough he has been rather secretive about the affair." Strange narrowed his eyes, examining each and every head of dark hair.

"I would think that every wizard should be allowed his secrets." Marvol stated.

"No kidding," Malley scoffed watching his date converse with her friends.

"Well yes but…what do you want?" Strange snapped scaring his poor date senseless. Her face turned red and she began to squirm in trying to get out of his grasp and run away, but Strange held fast. "Sorry."

"Careful there Strange, you may soon find yourself dateless." Malley jibbed.

"Who are you? Trelawney?" Strange sneered.

"Of course not." Malley answered. "I don't need to be knowledgeable in divination to know you may be dateless, I just need to be smarter than you."

Strange glared at the blonde, but before he could retort the creaking of the doors drew the room's attention to the new arrivals.

Much to the joy of the onlookers, the four champions and their dates had arrived. First came the French girl and her date, then came the Bulgarian quidditch player and finally there were the two Hogwarts champions. Each and every one of them looking elegant and well dressed.

"Oh my, who is _that_ on Krum's arm?" Malley's date had rejoined the group and was joining Natalie in standing on tiptoes to get a better look.

"I don't know, I'm not sure that I have ever seen _her_ before." Stillwater commented.

"She's gorgeous! Did she fly in from Bulgaria or something?"

"Is that Granger?"

The group froze at the proclamation and if they weren't standing on their tiptoes before, they were now.

"Great Merlin, he's right!"

"But how is that Granger?"

"How is that that _mudblood_?"

"Since when has Malley ever been right? Ow what was that for?"

"That was for implying that I'm stupid Strange!"

Marvol lowered himself satisfied in his curiosity. It was certainly surprising to see the mudblood appearing somewhat appealing. It was quite the rarity. Of course, so was hearing of the mudblood resorting to violence, but that didn't stop her from punching Draco in the previous year. Marvol smirked at the thought. He still wished he had been there to witness it.

Suddenly, as the four champions and their partners took their positions to begin the ball, the opening of the Great doors once again drew the attention of the occupants.

Frowning, Marvol joined many others in resuming their positions on their toes to get a closer look.

Marvol sighed. It was only Blake. He began to lower, but then he shot back up again. Who was that with him? Whoever it was, was rather stunning. Where on earth did Blake manage to find her? And how did he manage to convince her to attend with him? Marvol began to move around trying his best to get a better glimpse at who Blake had brought with him to the ball.

"Who is that?" Natalie whispered awestruck.

"I don't know, but she's gorgeous!" Strange responded. "Ow!"

Natalie glared at him as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm not saying that you're not gorgeous!"

She appeared placated.

Light, reddish hair…almost gold…especially with that golden leaf hair piece in her hair. The hair was elegantly curled and pinned up…and stunning…blue eyes. Marvol dropped to his natural height. Surely it couldn't be. Surely it couldn't be _her_. A sharp twang pulled at Marvol's gut. But as Blake and his partner pushed their way through the slowly parting crowd toward their group it became blazingly clear just who was on his arm. The twang increased intensity.

Malley, who had given up looking and had returned to sipping his punch, promptly started choking and even spewing out a spray of punch in shock. In the process he practically drenched his date, much to her chagrin.

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry, here let me…scourgify!" Malley waved his wand.

"What do you think you are doing!?"

"I am trying to help, why isn't it gone?"

"Because it's enchanted! It was supposed to stop…oh never mind, just give me your wand!"

Strange's mouth dropped to the ground causing Stillwater to flush from embarrassment and look for any lonely sap without a date.

"Sorry I'm late, I didn't miss anything did I?" Blake interrupted their thoughts.

"I-I-I-I-I—," Strange stuttered staring at the lady. Stillwater apparently found her target as a spark of hope popped up in her eyes, but then she looked back at Strange and bit her lips uncertainly.

Malley still trying to gather himself after his spit take and trying to make it up to his date offered no attempt at a response.

Marvol quickly pushed down his dark thoughts and spoke.

"Ehem, No, actually you may have just been what there was to see. Aside from Granger of course."

"Y-Yeah…" Strange agreed. Stillwater's eyes blazed.

"Granger? That Gryffindor girl with the incredibly bushy hair?" Blake scanned the crowd.

"Well, it's not so bushy anymore. I can't believe you Nick! All I wanted was a night to be happy and paid attention too, not snapped at, ignored and implied at being stupid! Honestly, I am going over to a friend of mine and hanging out with him for the rest of the night. Maybe then I will get to enjoy my night!" Natalie snapped storming off.

Blake finally located Granger amongst the four dancing couples. He whistled.

"Wow she really cleans up."

"I see she isn't the only one to clean up nicely, Miss Proe I don't recall you ever looking so nice in all of the time that we have known each other." Marvol, for once in his life, meant his words. He scanned Proe admiring her get up. Her dress was stark white, highlighted by gold bands around the hips, shoulders and crisscrossing across the chest. The dress was floor length and seemed to glide on thin air while the dress shimmered from little specks of gold all over. Overall the dress, made Proe look sort of like a goddess. Her make-up was lightly, yet beautifully done and the golden hair piece topped it all off looking like an olive branch crown.

"Thank you- I guess- Marvol, the compliment is kindly taken. It does feel good to be dressed up for once, though don't ask me to do it again too soon, it takes too much time and I have bigger things to worry about." Proe commented trying her best to smile convincingly.

Though she didn't know it, Marvol could tell that it was fake. But he ignored it.

'_Since when was Proe actually capable of being pretty?'_

* * *

><p>"<em>No."<em>

_And just like that she was gone, scurrying out of the room even before Snape had dismissed them. Marvol stared blankly at the vacated stool._

'_**What?'**_

_Not a word was spoken around him as the class sat in stunned silence. Not even Snape felt the urge to break the silence. Though it probably wouldn't have mattered to Marvol. He wouldn't have heard a barn owl screech if it was right behind him. His mind was too busy jumping between two questions._

'_**Why?'**_

* * *

><p>Elaina had honestly expected to startle some people, after all she had never dressed up before so what else could she expect but to see a few people startled, but the amount of attention she was receiving was unprecedented. She was counting her lucky stars that Granger was also quite the bombshell, otherwise Elaina might have been given all of the attention.<p>

Elaina glanced at Marvol. She did not like the look that he was giving her. She couldn't quite name the expression, but he looked just as dangerous as when he was mad. She squirmed.

"So Marvol, where's your date?" She asked, proud of the fact she had kept her voice steady.

"I don't have one," He replied calming to a polite smile. "I came alone. I planned to just stop in, converse a little, maybe dance once or twice and then leave."

"That's too bad," Elaina tried her best to smile as she spoke, but it was a struggle as an uneasy little tinkle danced upon her stomach. She remembered the potions class and she remembered her reaction.

* * *

><p>"<em>No."<em>

_She didn't even need to think about it. She just answered as she stared at the clock in the back of the room. 5…4…3…2…1. And she was out of there. She left behind a stunned Marvol, and an equally stunned class. She was sure that she would hear about this later and unfortunately hearing about it would probably not be pleasant._

_She rushed down through the dungeons dodging student after student wondering why there were suddenly so many students in the hallway. It was midday, so it was lunch, but Elaina didn't feel like sitting there surrounded by so many people. Immediately, she made a beeline for the fruit painting._

_Briefly she wondered if she should have told Marvol that she had already agreed to go with someone._

* * *

><p>"You didn't get a date?" Blake piped in, eyes glinting as if he knew something very amusing.<p>

"No. I didn't." Marvol snapped. Elaina suddenly saw a memory of red eyes and paled at the thought. "I did ask Miss. Elaina here, but she refused."

"Come on, Alphard, let's dance." Elaina mumbled lightly tugging on his sleeves. He looked at her concerned before smiling and agreeing.

Marvol watched them move to the dance floor and take their positions. They quickly and easily slipped into the dance, gliding through and around the other dancers cutting through the dancers as if they were water. Clearly, both Blake and Proe were experienced, or at least talented, dancers. And it bugged him.

In a poor attempt to distract himself he moved to a chair along the wall of the Great Hall and sat there sipping his drink and watching the dancing couple for numerous dances.

She said no! She said no to _him_! Perhaps it was bothering him more than it should, but he couldn't remember the last time that _anyone_ had said no to him. At first he had thought that he would easily put it behind him and forget it- after all he wasn't really here as _himself_, but that was when he had expected her to be plain and consequently no challenge. But now, now she was something he was regretting underestimating. She. Had. Said. No.

"Tommy-dear!" A screech interrupted his thoughts. Flinching he looked up and grimaced at the sight before him.

"Druella," he greeted. "How have you been?"

"Oh, I have just been great!" She giggled. "Thanks so much for asking!"

"Still keeping yourself on the down low?" Marvol glanced at Druella's obviously intoxicated self. Her low intolerance for alcohol was always amusing to watch. It had been quite a long time since the last time he had seen her drunk. Someone must have spiked her drink or food.

"Of course!" She leaned over him giving him an eyeful as she playfully poked his nose. "I always do what my Tommy-Dear tells me!"

Marvol gritted his teeth at the nickname, but quickly brushed it aside.

"It's good to see that someone is capable of following my instructions."

The brunette preened from the praise given. And immediately after, she jumped forward in an attempt to latch on to Marvol, but he was already gone.

* * *

><p>Elaina couldn't feel the last time she was so happy, let alone happy while dancing. She was so self-conscious all the time that she never wanted to really dance. But tonight, she had danced four dances already and was on her fifth. The first two dances had been with Blake. The third was with another Ravenclaw boy. The next with some stray Hufflepuff, and now she was back to Blake again. She might want to take a break after this dance now that she thought about it.<p>

She looked up at Blake. His smile was wide and sincere, wider than she had ever expected to see on a Slytherin. Maybe not all Slytherins were bad. Her smile widened to match his as he gently spun her out. Too caught up in her joy to notice any shifts she spun back in to come face to face with a new dance partner. Immediately her smile fell to an unpleasant scowl.

"Marvol."

"Why Miss. Elaina, fancy seeing you again!" A twisted smile crept across the thinning face.

"You're trying too hard." Elaina stated sighing.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Marvol's face was the image of innocence.

"Before I forget, since when have we been on a first name basis?"

"I am afraid that I don't quite understand?"

"Marvol, I don't recall ever giving you permission to call me by my first—what are you staring at?"

Marvol's eyes were focused on a downward direction. Elaina narrowed her eyes as she thought.

'_What could he possibly be…?'_

Realization struck and almost instantaneously a sharp crack was heard within the direct vicinity.

* * *

><p>'<em>What was that?'<em> Marvol thought. He had been looking down a little to look at Elaina's face when something grey had scurried across the floor. He softly sighed and slowly lifted his head. _'Well, whatever it was is unimportant now.'_

Crack!

Marvol's bit his tongue at the sharp pain radiating from his cheek as his face snapped to the right.

'_The hell?'_

As quick as he could he spun his head to look for his Houdini of a dance partner. She was gone. Anger broiled inside of him. He swore that if any girl so dared to approach him now he would crucio her into oblivion. Finally he spotted his dance partner expertly weaving her way through the dancing couples and observing crowd to the exit.

Without letting his eyes stray from the direction of his prey, he quickly followed suit.

* * *

><p>"Excuse me, pardon me, sorry miss." Alphard was worried. When Marvol had tapped on his shoulder and asked to dance with Elaina, he had felt wary-he knew how much Elaina did not like the guy- but he figured that he would be able to keep an eye on the two in case something did happen. However, it didn't take long before Alphard was pushed to the back of the crowd somehow and managed to lose sight of them. Now he was busy trying to push his way forward and get an eye on his date.<p>

"What's wrong with you?"

Alphard jumped at the sound of Nikolai's voice. He spun to his left where he saw his friend sipping out of a glass that he wouldn't be surprised to know was not something he should be drinking.

"Marvol," Alphard growled. "Decided that he wanted to dance with Elaina and, not really wanting to get on his bad side, I let him. But I have since lost him."

"Well personally, I wouldn't be surprised if Marvol planned it that way," Nikolai mused. "We both know what he's like when he doesn't get his way. And you did sort of steal the girl he asked to the ball."

"But I asked her first!" Alphard hissed. "I even gave him a _**two week**_ head start!"

"Stinks to be you then doesn't it." Nikolai casually gulped down more of his drink.

"You…"

"But, if it really bothers you so much, you can join me in the 'I-lost-my-date' club." Nikolai raised his glass in a mock toast.

Alphard twitched as he stared at him blankly. Shaking his head he pinched nose in thought.

"Think, if I was Elaina and I suddenly found myself dancing with a person that I hated, what would I do?" Alphard bit his lips. "Well, I'd continue dancing with the person until he did something to tick me off. But if something did happen, then what would I do?"

"Do you really have to think about this?" Nikolai stared at the idiot before him silently wondering why he was ever friends with this idiot.

"That's it!" Alphard exclaimed. "I'd leave!"

"Ding-ding-ding we have a winner." Nikolai congratulated as Alphard turned to leave. "Oh and if you see Abraxas tell him that I want my tie back."

Alphard turned back around.

"Did Abraxas leave?"

"Yeah, apparently he spotted those brats from a few weeks ago and so he went to chase them down."

"Seriously, he _still_ hasn't caught those kids?" Alphard scoffed.

"I am afraid so. He is making me ashamed to know him." Nikolai yawned. "Now you go find your girlfriend. If you're lucky Marvol won't skin you alive!"

* * *

><p>Elaina couldn't see straight. All she saw were hazed over figures and red. Lots and lots of red. If she was thinking any clearer she would realize how lucky she was that she had yet to run into anybody. And if she did, it was unlikely that she would realize it. She didn't even really register when she exited the great hall. She hung a left and, after stepping around a pair of Hogwarts students introducing their lips, quickened her pace.<p>

"I'm S-S-SORRY! I D-D-DIDN'T M-MEAN T-TO OVER HEAR! I SWEAR!"

The red haze filling Elaina's vision began to clear. She came to a stop and glanced around.

"P-P-PLEASE! I'M S-S-SORRY!"

Deciding on a direction, Elaina quickly rounded the corner to the right of her current position only to see a first year cowering in a corner covered in cuts and bruises. She looked right and saw a hooded figure with a wand drawn.

"I understand, but you must understand that I can't let you roam with that kind of knowledge." The hooded figure's voice was muffled. "OBL—."

"Expelliarmous!" Elaina didn't think as she quickly drew her wand and shot the spell. Whether it was the fact she was still angry or the fact that she was rather determined to protect the poor kid, the spell may have shot out a bit too strongly. As soon as the spell made contact the culprit flew back and the wand shot into Elaina's waiting hand.

* * *

><p>Marvol watched, caught between being impressed and being vexed, as Proe's spell flung the figure hard into the wall 20 feet away. A loud crack was heard as the figure slumped to the ground, apparently unconscious. Marvol looked back at Proe.<p>

Who knew that the Ravenclaw had such power and potential? His mind began to race. He may have to keep a closer eye on the Ravenclaw.

He watched as Proe waited to make sure that the figure was not getting up before she scrambled to check on the first year. After a series of questions she helped the student to his feet and supporting him she cast a petrificus totalus on the figure before helping the student toward the Hospital wing.

"Damn, he sure got his comeuppance."

Marvol did not even bother to grace Blake with a glance.

"I feel I must disagree. He has yet to receive his 'comeuppance.'"

Blake glanced warily at Marvol.

"What do you mean?"

"He failed."

Marvol strided over to frozen figure and glared down at the unfortunate soul.

"Next time I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it quickly and swiftly without added torture that was not suggested and definitely without the chance of catching someone's attention."

"Finite."

* * *

><p>Elaina yawned, struggling to keep her head up out of her bowl of oatmeal. Oatmeal, she didn't know why she had grabbed the absurd breakfast. It always tasted bland kind…of like….<p>

"Elaina!"

Immediately, her head shot up and looked around coming full circle to Faye.

"Faye?"

"Hey, I saw you at the 'ospital last night, but you weren't visiting Peter," Faye gracefully slid into the seat to Elaina's right. "Is everything alright?"

"I suppose, I wasn't really there for Peter. A first year was attacked during the ball last night."

"What?" Faye halted her hand's movement toward the toast in shock.

"Yeah, the kid was lucky that I got there when I did." Elaina yawned.

"Why would someone want to attack a first year?" Faye sat back focusing on Elaina through her equally tired eyes.

"Beats me, but despite the signs of torture, I think the attacker's main goal was to obliviate the kid, that's what is strange about it."

"I wonder what the boy knows." Faye murmured.

"Beats me, but whatever it is no one will be finding out until he wakes up." Elaina poked at her oatmeal.

"Well…who was the attacker?" Faye asked. "Maybe whoever it was could answer."

"That's a nice thought, but I don't know. Whoever it was had been wearing a hood and I was too focused on getting the first year to the hospital wing to really care to check. I only paralyzed him. I guess I just assumed he or she would still be there when I came back."

"Not the brightest move, but you did go back?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"Whoever it was had gone."

Faye soaked in the information for a moment before responding.

"Strange. You said you paralyzed them, so either they managed to undo your spell by themselves or they 'ad an accomplice."

"Or they convinced another student to undo it for them." Elaina pointed out reaching for an apple.

"Miss. Proe and Miss. Aceline," A voice broke in. Both girls jumped around and looked down to see Professor Flitwick.

"Professor." Elaina and Faye chorused.

"It gives me great joy to be able to inform you that Mr. Longhaven has recovered from his long comatose state." Flitwick had a large smile, one to rival Faye's, spread across his face. "And that you two are free to visit him now if you like."

"Thank you Professor." Faye smiled as she hopped away from her chair and hurried out the door. Elaina sighed and gave Flitwick a smile before quickly rushing after Faye.

* * *

><p>'<em>So…the moron is awake…This could be problematic.'<em>

* * *

><p>"Merlin, I am so hungry! To think that you two got to go down and enjoy a large breakfast while I am stuck up here eating <em>this<em>." Peter gestured to the bowl of porridge on his nightstand. "It tastes like sawdust! And Pomphrey refuses to get me some cinnamon or brown sugar to put in it!"

"Well, you are recovering," Faye stated smiling.

Elaina said nothing from her position standing at the end of the bed. She merely examined Peter, looking for any signs of ill side effects or signs of a relapse.

"I know! But shouldn't I have some say in what I eat as I recover?" Some bits of porridge dribbling out of his mouth as he spoke with food in his mouth. Elaina blanched at the sight. "I know that Madame Pomphrey is just looking after me but really, I know my body. Oh well, food is food I suppose, no matter how much I hate it."

He took another large spoonful of the porridge before continuing.

"And it _certainly_ doesn't help I have gotten countless questions about who attacked me. How many times do I have to tell them before they get it nailed in their thick skulls that I don't remember?"

Elaina couldn't take it anymore. Besides she had heard what she had waited to hear. Quickly she turned around and exited the wing. She just managed to hear Peter's remark to her disappearance.

"What's wrong with her?"

* * *

><p>Elaina rubbed her eyes yawning. She exited the room and hung a left. The day had been a long one, from actively trying to avoid Peter, to classes and homework. She had practically lived in the library in order to accomplish all that she wanted to do. Peter, contrary to popular stereotypes, did not like the library and did a decent job of avoiding it. Therefore the library was the perfect location to hole up, short of getting into another house's common room.<p>

Unfortunately, Elaina got caught up in her work and lost track of time, to the point that she was about half an hour past the curfew. With any luck she would manage to avoid running into any prefect or teacher or Peeves for that matter. Mercy, she hoped she didn't run into Peeves.

Elaina stopped.

'_Something's wrong. Something doesn't feel right.'_ She thought resting her hand on her wand. Warily Elaina looked around. Nothing. Slowly she straightened. '_But something still doesn't feel right.'_

Carefully, Elaina pushed her shoulders back and took a deep breath. It didn't help her get rid of the paranoia, but it helped her relax a little bit. She regained her stride and hung a right toward the stairs.

"Oof!" Elaina stumbled back. And groaned. There went her hope of going unnoticed, on top of that it was a prefect.

Elaina sighed and prepared an attempt to explain herself, but froze when she stopped to take a closer look at the prefect. The prefect, one everybody knew was not afraid to deduct points, looked woozy, sick even.

"Hey, are you alright?" Elaina asked placing her hand on the prefect to help steady her. She moved her other hand to feel the prefect's forehead. She was burning up.

"Um…do-…Hel….Ugh." Unable to hold on to consciousness the prefect collapsed into Elaina.

Panic filled Elaina as she gently brought the prefect down to lay on the floor. Gently Elaina laid the prefect's head on her lap and desperately she looked around for some help. Finally, she caught sight of a painting still awake.

"Get help! Get Dumbledore! Tell him there's a student down around the corner from the library due to unknown causes!"

The person in the portrait nodded and immediately took off.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews=appreciated and helpful<strong>


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: As always I do NOT own Harry Potter. **

* * *

><p>Chapter 9<p>

"This time is so boring. When will we get to _do_ something?"

"Oh quite your whining Strange, if I have to continue listening to you for the remainder of our stay here, then I may consider committing murder to spend the rest of my days in Azkaban." Malley snapped.

"Well, excuse me I don't have an equally prissy grandson to spy on to fill up my free time!" Strange snapped.

"Well at least **I** know that **my** pureblood legacy continues!"

"Why…now that you mention it…what **did **happen to my line?" Strange mused glancing around the space.

"From what I've gathered, they are in Azkaban." Blake interjected smirking.

"As I recall so is yours!" Strange retorted.

"One is in, one is free, and one is married to Abraxas' son." Alphard didn't once lose his smile.

Strange scowled choosing not to answer the statement. Almost mercifully, Marvol entered the room drawing the attention of the other three.

"My Lord, when will we get to do something?" Strange questioned sitting up. "I'm getting tired of only doing little things."

"You call cursing Peter-What's-His-Name small?" Abraxas quizzed from his position against the wall.

"Okay, that wasn't that small, but we used to do so much more!" Strange jumped off the couch, eyes alit with memories. "We used to rule the school! Or at the very least Slytherin! We were the best generation of Slytherins this school had ever seen! I mean look at this generation! They're nothing compared to what we are! Or were… or whatever, time travel gives me a headache."

"Easy Strange," Tom responded calmly. "Patience is a virtue that should be constantly practiced. For at the end of that rainbow there is always something waiting."

"Oh great, our lord has begun to lose it." Strange muttered barely managing to duck from a bright red spell that blew apart part of the wall behind him. "I apologize my lord, I just can't help but think about how a talentless baby bests you in this time."

Strange wasn't so lucky this time dodging Marvol's spell.

* * *

><p>Elaina sighed, stretching her neck. After five hours of work she had finally finished all of her homework. Now she had…two hours of free time before she had to go back to the tower. She groaned. Only two hours. Her head hit the desk.<p>

"Ow." She rubbed her head sitting back up. Looking at the giant mess that was known as her work, she sighed and sluggishly began to gather her stuff. Paper upon paper and book upon book, every time she moved something into a nice stack it was like another one was there to take its place. She scowled.

Quickly, and as sneakily as she possibly could, she looked around. Front, back, she even looked up. Nothing and no one. She carefully pulled out her wand and with a simple flick of it, the papers sorted themselves into her bag and the books flew back to their original position.

"I THOUGHT I SAID **NO MAGIC IN THE LIBRARY**!"

Elaina jumped at Madame Pince's loud scream. Panicking she looked around as she answered.

"Sorry Madame." Quietly she muttered to herself. "How does she do that?"

"OH DON'T GIVE ME THAT HOGWASH, WE BOTH KNOW YOU AREN'T ACTUALLY SORRY!"

Worried for her health Elaina quickly grabbed her bag and rushed out of the library. Once out of the large area, she stopped and scanned her surroundings. She yawned. She figured that she should really do something in the two hours, but she felt just so tired. Maybe she would just stroll around the castle.

She took a deep breath, before turning left and starting her journey. It didn't take her long however, to grow bored of her chosen past time and decide that maybe she should just head back to the tower.

Without another second thought she spun around and headed back to the staircase, but as she passed a corner a sight out of the corner of her eye brought her to a stop. Strange, looking even more suspicious than normal, looked right-before that presumably left- before ducking into a room. Her heart racing, Elaina darted behind the corner just in time to miss Strange's head popping back out.

Something puzzled Elaina, though. It puzzled her greatly. Strange had just ducked into what was well known to be a girl's bathroom. Furthermore, something about that particular bathroom was ringing some far-a-way bell inside of Elaina's head.

Slowly, Elaina peeked her head around the corner. The hallway was empty. At least, for now it was empty. She took one last deep breath, and rushed toward the stairs. Every few seconds, she glanced back toward the restroom.

Almost immediately after she had passed the hallway to the restroom, she ran into something, or rather someone, hard enough to send both of them tumbling to the ground. Her on top of the other, made more awkward upon her realization of just who that someone was.

"Marvol!" She quickly scrambled to untangle herself from the Slytherin and remove herself from his person.

"Tom." He responded smiling as brightly as always. He began to push himself up as she took a step back to give him room.

"What?"

"Tom, I told you to call me Tom, Elaina," He clarified dusting himself off now that he was off of the ground.

"Just as I told you that we are not that close," Elaina retorted smiling just as falsely as Marvol. "And stop calling me by my first name."

Elaina didn't give him time to respond. Instead she just stepped around him and swiftly began to climb the stairs.

Marvol glanced from her toward the restroom behind her, eyes narrowing.

* * *

><p>"Hey Elaina, where are you going?"<p>

"I'm headed to the hospital wing! Little Finnegan is supposed to wake up today and that prefect might be doing better!" Elaina called out over her shoulder as she jogged down the steps.

Faye shook her head a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips.

"Worrywart! It's a wonder they didn't name you prefect early!"

Elaina's response was sticking out her tongue at the laughing blonde, before she exited the line of sight.

* * *

><p>"I'm so relieved," a voice whined. "Only a few more months and we can drop this <em>act<em>!"

"Yeah," a higher pitched voice interjected. "I'm getting tired of acting below my rightful status!"

"Unfortunately for the two you, there is one little problem with that wish." Another voice almost taunted.

"And what would that be Blake?" The first voice snapped.

"Easy _Strange_," Blake ground out. "We have been given explicit orders to stay hidden until we get specific instruction otherwise."

* * *

><p>"<em>What do you mean you failed?" A soft, penetrating voice wheezed. The figure below him started to quake uncontrollably. Everyone knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time.<em>

"_I-I-I'm sorry M-Master! W-We-."_

"_And don't you dare try and pull that sorry as an excuse and use it!"_

"_THAT'S ENOUGH!" All three of them stared at the darkened figure in amazement. "Might I remind you two nitwits just how important it is that we have __**her**__?"_

"_No." The two chorused. But then the shorter of the two, the youngest, spoke up._

"_Sir, wouldn't it just be easier to kill her now and just take her blood."_

_Blood ran cold around the room at the boy's words._

"_I suppose it would be, if I was talking about the short run. But I want the long run."_

_The two kneeling shared a worried glance. Something seemed a little off for their master. Almost on cue their Master threw back his head and started cackling._

* * *

><p>Elaina shot up in a cold sweat. She sat there, sheets pooled around her legs, and her breath coming out in short quick pants.<p>

A crack of lightning outside the windows lit up the room.

Elaina shifted her dead stare from her bed to the pattering rain against the window.

'_What is this feeling?'_

"MREOW!"

Elaina jumped, nearly falling out of her bed.

"Shade! What are you…Shade this isn't like you, normally you're either asleep on your pillow or nowhere in sight. What's up?" Elaina questioned repositioning herself.

The cat let out a loud mreow and pawed at the sheets in front of her. Elaina turned her attention to her cat's paw. Something glinted in the minimal light filtered in through the drapes.

"What do you have there Shade?" Elaina bent closer to the glint, but whatever the item was it was small and dark enough that she could not quite make out the details. Eyes still focused on the item in fear of losing track of its location, Elaina reached over and grabbed her wand out from underneath her pillow. At the same time her free hand reached over to pick up the small item. But before she could a small furry paw slashed her hand.

"Ow!" Elaina quickly withdrew her hand. "What was that for Shade?"

"Mreow!"

Elaina humphed at the sharp response of her cat and brought her wand up.

"Lumos."

"What?"

* * *

><p>CRASH!<p>

"M'Lord."

BOOM!

"M'Lord."

"WHAT is it Malley!?"

Malley flinched under the harsh gaze of the newly red eyes. Those red eyes held more power than any one person could ever imagine. He had only seen them that red a handful of times and whenever they went red for this length of time the results were never good. Malley quickly found himself at a deep loss of words.

"WELL?"

"M'Lord. I…what I mean to say…we…that is…Blake, Strange, and I were wondering…just what are you looking…for…?"

Marvol's glare was murderous. Malley instantly regretted speaking up. Unable to stand the intensity, the blonde began to stumble back, tripping only a few times over the bits and pieces of items and furniture torn to shreds by Marvol's rage.

"Are you questioning my actions _Malfoy_? Do you think that you have a _right_ to know all of my motives?" Marvol's tone was ice cold, colder than ice even. It easily sent shivers down all of the witnesses' backs.

"O-O-Of course not…" Malley stuttered stumbling over the leg of a bed frame. "…M'Lord."

A sharp crack of lightening from outside of the castle broke through the tension, and for a brief few seconds everything seemed frozen. Slowly the red bled from Marvol's eyes and they returned to their marble blue-grey. Taking a deep breath, Marvol spoke.

"I am a merciful lord, Malley, so I will ignore this little _slip-up_ this once."

Malley visibly relaxed, though he was still tense. Quickly he bent into a humble bow.

"Thank you, my lord."

Marvol appraised his little group before taking a few steps toward the door.

"It doesn't matter. It is obviously no longer here."

Malley hesitated, throwing a cautious glance at the three others in the room, before speaking.

"If…If you don't mind me asking…my Lord…what is no longer here? …My Lord…"

Marvol came to a stop and placed his hand on the wood of the door frame. Stroking the wood, Marvol glanced over his shoulder.

"A ring Mr. Malley. A ring, if you must know, is no longer here."

* * *

><p>"It's rather pretty," Faye observed cocking her head a little to the right. "In a dark and menacing way, but still, it has its charm."<p>

Elaina gave her friend an unamused glance before reexamining the small piece of jewelry floating in front of the two.

"Can I touch it?" Faye slowly reached up, failing to completely mask the twitching of her hand. Immediately Elaina flicked her wand and the ring flew back into the sack specifically charmed to contain the dark magic.

"You could 'ave just said no," Faye muttered.

"Unfortunately Faye, you give me such little time to react, and for that reason I'm sorry that I wasn't able to spit out a no," Elaina responded holding the small drawstring bag by the rope. "But I don't know if you noticed it or not, but this ring pretty much oozes dark magic. Furthermore, I think that it did something to Shade."

"What do you mean?"

Elaina glanced around the common room before gesturing toward the stairs leading to the girls' dormitories.

"Come on, I'll show you."

It was like the two decided to play follow the leader. First Elaina got up, and then Faye. First Elaina walked toward the stairs, then Faye walked toward the stairs.

Then Peter came down the other stairs.

"Hey Elaina, Faye, are you two…" But the two had already disappeared up the girls' staircase where no male student ever dared hope to go

* * *

><p>"What's wrong with Shade?"<p>

"I don't know, but it started pretty soon after he brought that ring back." Elaina stated as she watched her cat hack up a ball of quickly greying fur.

Shade, once a healthy and fit cat was now skin, bones and clumps of black and greying hair. Elaina's heart plummeted. She knew that she should probably at least take her cat to the hospital wing, or even Dumbledore, but something was telling her that nothing she did would help, except for whoever that ring belonged to.

"You should really take that cat to Madame Pomphrey at least." Faye responded.

"I know, but I have this gut instinct that nothing I do will help." Elaina whispered dejectedly.

"You care for Shade, Elaina, you need to…"

"Of course I care for him!" Elaina snapped before pulling in on herself. "He's my cat, my friend, and I've been trying everything I can find to help him. I even snuck into the restricted section to find solutions. But nothing is working…"

"I'll ignore the part about the restricted section for now." Faye muttered racking her brain for how to respond. "Have you…"

"I think I found how to fix it there's just one problem."

"What's that?"

"It requires the person responsible for the curse."

"…But it's like you said, you _think_. Which means you don't really know." Faye insisted eyeing her friend. She understood the uncertainty her friend was suffering. If she randomly showed up with her cat under the effects of a _dark_ spell, questions would be raised. But underneath that part of her that wanted to support her friend's decision to not get help, something told her that this was a pre-cursor to something that Elaina would desperately need help for.

Elaina didn't respond. Instead, she decided to stand there and stare at her clearly dying cat.

"Elaina, you 'ave to get 'elp from somebody, Madam Pomphrey… Dumbledore, 'eck, maybe even Professor Snape." Faye insisted. "Dark magic is not something that you should, or can, handle on your own."

A strangled sob fell from Elaina's lips as she stood fists clenched and head hung. Faye waited a few moments for her friend to get it out to speak. But before any words came out, Elaina beat her to it.

"I know."

* * *

><p>"Miss. Proe, I hope you understand the penalty for dealing with dark magic?" The normally quirky voice sounded harsh, reprimanding. Elaina couldn't look the headmaster in the eye as she answered.<p>

"Yes Professor, I know them very well..."

"Then may I ask what made you practice on this poor creature?"

Elaina's eyes snapped up to his at that, eyes blazing.

"I _assure_ you Professor I did not do that sort of thing to _my cat_ let alone to other people in general."

Dumbledore stared down through his crescent spectacles. The twinkle in his eyes that usually brought some comfort alongside the uneasiness was strangely missing as he appraised his student.

"All right, I suppose this matter should be up for consideration." Dumbledore seemed to muse. "After all, there really is no proof that _you_ were the one to cast such a terrible curse."

Translation: _I am sorry_.

Elaina narrowed her eyes. She didn't believe him. No she believed part of his story just not the majority.

"Yes, I do believe there isn't." Elaina mentally slapped herself for what she had just said. If she had wanted to say the one thing that would make her sound suspicious that was it. "Now if you would excuse me, I would really like to go see how my cat is doing."

With that said, she stood up pushing the wooden chair back as she did and glided out of the room, not bothering to wait for the headmaster to respond.

* * *

><p>"Hey, is she okay?"<p>

"Who? Elaina?"

"Yeah, the Ravenclaw seems a little down."

A third person scoffed interrupting the two Hufflepuffs' conversation.

"'A little down' would be quite the understatement," The person pointed out. "The girl's been dragging her feet, the great hall has conjured up her own personal little rain cloud, and she has been staring at that bowl of porridge for ten minutes."

"I wonder what's wrong with her," the first student pondered ignoring the third's existence.

"I heard something happened to her cat, and whatever it was not even Madame Pomphrey can fix it." The second girl gossiped.

One of the boys in the group snickered.

"A cat? She's moping about a— ow!" He rubbed his head glaring at the girl next to him.

"That is not nice, that cat was her familiar! Of course the two were probably close!"

"Are you sure? Because I don't recall seeing Proe with a cat 99.99% of the time."

"Yeah, if you're looking for "close" you should look at her and Marvol!"

The group went silent for a bit all turning themselves to observe the snake's table.

"Quite odd don't you think, that a house that preaches blood purity allows into its walls the skin of muggles don't you think?"

"There has been muggleborns and halfbloods in Slytherin, Tobias," One of the girls lectured.

Tobias glared at the girl and opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by another in their little group.

"They're just not advertised."

"Let alone well liked."

"Getting back to the topic at hand, Proe and Marvol do seem to be rather close. They always seem to "bump" into each other," One guy observed. "Furthermore, they always partner with each other during potions. I wonder why that is? Maybe they have a-."

"DON'T say it!" One of the girls hissed leaning over the table to glare at her compatriot.

"Why not? It could be true. Proe and Marvol could be in a—."

"I SAID DON'T. Say it!" The girl snapped.

"—Relationship." The boy finished, flinching under the weight of the glares his female companions were giving him.

One girl though, quickly regained her composure and stated what she saw as a truth.

"It doesn't matter, there is no reason that Tom would enter any steady relationship so soon.

Her voice spoke of the finality of the subject.

* * *

><p>"ACHOO!"<p>

"I asked for quiet Miss. Proe! Next time hold the sneeze in!" Moody snapped with only the tacking of his cane as background. Both of his eyes, including the glass one, glared at her.

"My apologies professor!" Elaina sniffed pinching her nose.

"Remember, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

* * *

><p><em>The door slowly creaked open. The figure paused, waiting to see if the noise had alerted anyone. When no further noise was heard in response, he carefully slipped inside and wand at the ready began to scan the beds. Empty. Empty. Not the one. Empty. <em>

_Finally the figure came to a stop and grinned._

"_Sorry y'little brat, can't 'ave y'rememberin' anything. Obliviate."_

* * *

><p>"I wonder what is wrong with Marvol." Faye mused glancing over to her left where Marvol sat sulking in his seat.<p>

"Who cares?" Peter exclaimed. "What we should be wondering about is the second challenge. Potter got lucky the first round, but what I want to know is how he is going to survive the second round!"

"'Onestly what's with you and this stupid tournament?" Faye complained. "It has turned you into an even more self-centered little prat!"

Elaina tore her gaze up from her book in shock at her friend's words. Warily she glanced between her French friend and her other friend, she supposed he still was her friend, who was red in the face. Both looked ready to explode. Suddenly Faye shot out of her seat.

"You know what! I am not going to deal with this now!" The next thing either of them knew she was storming off only to plop down next to Beauxbaton students that they could only assume were friends of hers.

Cautiously Peter turned his attention to Elaina.

"So what do you think is wrong with Marvol?" He tried asking.

"Don't even try and go there."

* * *

><p>A loud thud against the wood of the table brought Marvol out of his intent studying of the five uses of wolfsbane in potions. He glanced up to see a balding and sickly looking cat laid out on top of his very important potions essay. His eyes travelled farther up to see a pair of blue eyes glaring down at him.<p>

"Elaina, how surprising it is to see you down here in the snake's den."

Her eyes only narrowed.

"Fix him."

Marvol waited for more to come out of her, but it quickly became apparent that she was not offering any more than two words.

"I really must inquire, how _did_ you gain entry to the _Slytherin_ dormitories?"

"Fix him."

Marvol felt ire build up inside him as the frustrating wo-_girl_ only repeated those two words. Gritting his teeth he decided he wasn't going to get anymore unless he addressed her statement.

"And what makes you think that _I_ could fix your precious little pussycat?"

After only a brief hesitation her hand came down slamming a dark velvet draw string bag onto the table in front of him. Rushed her fingers quickly opened it and shook the bag empty.

"This is yours is it not?" The sharp clang of metal against the wood drew his attention. His eyes darkened.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Light flashed across the sky. Not one ray of that light, though, reached the room. She only heard. She had no idea where she was. She had no idea if she was alone. She had no idea how she got there. But she was sitting, on something soft, though her arms rested on what felt like stone.<strong>_

_**Suddenly light burst from four pedestals in the room, temporarily blinding her. It didn't take long to adjust to the little light from the four flames. The room was circular. There were four chairs, including hers. She could see no one else. Just the tops of chairs. The chairs seemed a little elevated from the center of the room.**_

_**The center almost looked like what the Ancient Greeks might call the orchestra.**_

_**A loud crack of lightning struck the center of the orchestra and for the first time Elaina could see that she was not alone. Each of the four chairs were occupied. Directly across from her sat the Hufflepuff champion, Cedric Diggory. In the chair to her right sat Potter, and in the chair to her left Marvol sat perched upon a throne as if he owned not only the chair but the entire room.**_

_**No one said a word, though anyone could feel the murderous waves rolling off of Potter. Elaina looked across at Diggory questioningly, but he only shrugged his shoulders. **_

_**In an instant Potter was off of his throne, wand drawn and in the center of the ring, aiming at Marvol. Marvol only smirked victoriously as if he had just won some great prize.**_

"_**This ends tonight…" The rest was too muffled for Elaina to hear.**_

_**A flash of light and all of a sudden the scene changed. Marvol, Diggory, and Potter all now stood in the ring wands drawn. Elaina's eyes unconsciously wandered as she took in the four additional figures around the thrones. Malfoy, some unnamed individual-though he was clearly Hufflepuff, Granger, and behind herself, Elaina saw Lovegood.**_

_**A sudden chill filled the room.**_

_**Elaina brought her gaze back to the center. Diggory and Potter were obviously trying to tag team Marvol. She froze. There. Above Marvol, a giant, white, spidery hand was creeping out of the shadows with just as menacing a wand pointed at the two opponents. Elaina's blood ran cold even as her body went into autopilot. Whipping out her wand and jumping out of her seat…**_

**END OF CHAPTER 9**


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